Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (right) and Speaker of the Riksdag (Swedish parliament) Andreas Norlén. VNA/VNS Photo

STOCKHOLM — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on June 12 (local time) met with Speaker of the Riksdag (Swedish parliament) Andreas Norlén and leaders of political parties in Sweden as part of his official visit to the country.

Norlén expressed his belief that Chính’s visit would help further deepen the traditional friendship and cooperation between Việt Nam and Sweden in the coming time.

Chính emphasised that Việt Nam always values and wishes to strengthen its friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Sweden.

He recalled the image of PM Olof Palme marching with a torch to protest the war in Việt Nam, saying Sweden’s decision to establish diplomatic ties with Việt Nam was a courageous one, grounded in justice and conscience.

The Party, State, and people of Việt Nam always remember Sweden’s noble gesture in providing around $3 billion in non-refundable aid for Việt Nam, the largest among Nordic countries, Chính said.

The aid was used meaningfully to support health care, education, and social welfare, with many symbolic projects such as the National Children's Hospital and the Bãi Bằng Paper Mill, the leader stressed, adding Swedish universities trained around 200 Vietnamese experts, and that people-to-people exchanges have formed a natural bond.

The PM expressed confidence that his visit would help create momentum for bilateral cooperation and elevate the bilateral relationship to a new height. Both sides will serve as bridges for each other in advancing ties with ASEAN and the EU.

The two leaders shared the view that Việt Nam and Sweden should strengthen solidarity and cooperation based on their traditional friendship, through Party, Government, and Parliamentary channels as well as people-to-people exchanges, thereby contributing to the promotion of multilateralism and international solidarity.

Chính said Swedish enterprises still have ample room to expand cooperation and investment in Việt Nam, particularly in their areas of strength such as artificial intelligence, information and communications technology, and semiconductors. He highlighted Việt Nam’s new policies, notably those on institutional reform, science and technology, private sector development, and international integration, aimed at removing bottlenecks, enhancing foreign investment attraction, and promoting rapid and sustainable development.

The leader also called on the Swedish parliament to help advocate for the remaining EU member states to soon ratify the EU-Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and for the European Commission to lift its “yellow card” on Việt Nam’s seafood exports. He said Việt Nam will also encourage its high-tech enterprises to invest in Sweden.

For his part, Norlén said bilateral relations have developed fruitfully, including dialogue and cooperation between the two legislatures, and affirmed Sweden’s readiness to help Việt Nam fulfill its goal of becoming a high-income developed country by its centenary in 2045.

The leaders also exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared concern, including the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea).

Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, and freedom of navigation and overflight, based on respect for the rule of law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They underscored the need to settle disputes peacefully in accordance with international law, without the use or threat of force.

On this occasion, PM Chính conveyed the invitation from National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn to Speaker Norlén to visit Việt Nam. The Swedish leader accepted the invitation with pleasure. — VNA/VNS