State President Lương Cường (right) and Austrian Prime Minister Christian Stocker. — VNA/VNS Photo

NEW YORK — Việt Nam always attaches importance to and wants to develop its traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Austria, State President Lương Cường said while receiving Austrian Prime Minister Christian Stocker on the sidelines of the General Debate of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the US, on September 22 (local time).

The two leaders expressed their satisfaction with positive strides in the bilateral relationship in recent times, in which Austria has continuously been one of the top 10 trading partners of Việt Nam in Europe and Việt Nam is an important trading partner of Austria in Southeast Asia.

President Cường emphasised that economic-trade-investment ties are one of the important pillars of the bilateral relations, and suggested Austria increase investment in Việt Nam in areas where Austria has strengths and Việt Nam has demands, such as infrastructure, renewable energy and green transition.

The President also proposed the Austrian Parliament soon ratify the EU-Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and have a positive voice to urge the European Commission to soon remove its IUU 'yellow card' against Vietnamese seafood. He also affirmed that Việt Nam is ready to act as a bridge to support Austria in accessing the potential ASEAN market.

Sharing President Cường’s opinions, PM Stocker expressed his deep impression of Việt Nam and its people, congratulated Việt Nam on its socio-economic development achievements in recent years, and affirmed that Austria considers Việt Nam an important partner in Southeast Asia.

The Austrian PM agreed that the two sides should increase the exchange of delegations at all levels, create more favourable conditions for businesses and localities of the two countries to connect and cooperate, and further promote cooperation in economy, trade, investment, science and technology, education and training, tourism, people-to-people exchange and other potential areas.

In the spirit of political trust, the two leaders agreed to strengthen coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums. — VNA/VNS