Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and head of delegations participating in G20 pose for a photo. — VNA/VNS Photo

JOHANNESBURG — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on November 22 held a series of meetings with leaders of foreign countries and international organisations to discuss bilateral cooperation and exchange views on issues of common concern, as part of his trip to South Africa for the G20 Summit and related activities.

At these meetings, foreign leaders and representatives of international organisations extended their condolences to the people of Việt Nam over the life and property losses caused by recent storms and flooding.

During PM Chính’s meeting with Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan, the two sides expressed satisfaction with the positive development of Việt Nam–UAE relations, particularly one year after the establishment of the Comprehensive Partnership and the signing of the Việt Nam–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) during the PM’s official visit to the UAE in October 2024.

PM Chính affirmed that Việt Nam attaches great importance to strengthening cooperation with the UAE, one of the world’s leading economic and financial hubs.

He suggested that both sides actively coordinate preparations for the UAE–Việt Nam Investment Conference to be held in Việt Nam in April next year, and expand cooperation in trade, investment, defence, food security and the Halal industry. He also called on the UAE to increase investment and support Việt Nam in developing an international financial centre in HCM City and Đà Nẵng, and to help accelerate negotiations on a Việt Nam–Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Free Trade Agreement.

For his part, the Crown Prince affirmed that the UAE values its comprehensive cooperation with Việt Nam, one of its key trade and investment partners in Southeast Asia.

Echoing the Vietnamese PM’s proposals to strengthen collaboration in the economy, trade, investment, finance, science and technology, defence and tourism, in line with the Comprehensive Partnership and CEPA, he said the UAE would soon send delegations in investment and financial cooperation to Việt Nam to advance specific projects, and highlighted significant potential for collaboration in sports, especially in supporting youth football development.

Both sides also agreed to enhance coordination and support each other at multilateral and international forums, including efforts related to the reconstruction of Gaza in line with international law.

In his meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the two leaders expressed delight at the robust development of Việt Nam–Brazil relations since their elevation to a Strategic Partnership.

President Lula affirmed that Brazil attaches great importance to its ties with Việt Nam and expressed his desire to deepen the Strategic Partnership, particularly in the fields of economy and trade. PM Chính thanked the Brazilian President for his warm sentiments towards Việt Nam and welcomed Brazil’s decision to officially recognise Việt Nam’s market-economy status.

Both leaders welcomed and agreed on the need to further facilitate investment and trade, expand market access for each other’s agricultural products, and accelerate negotiations on a preferential trade agreement (PTA) between Việt Nam and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR). They also concurred to strengthen agricultural cooperation, particularly in coffee production and export.

At a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, PM Chính reaffirmed that Việt Nam attaches great importance to strengthening its friendship and cooperation with Türkiye.

President Erdoğan stressed that Türkiye considers Việt Nam an important partner in Asia. The two leaders shared the view that bilateral ties still hold considerable potential for further growth and committed to working toward the early achievement of the four billion usd trade target. They also discussed exploring new institutional frameworks to facilitate trade and investment, including the possibility of negotiating a bilateral free trade agreement.

Meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, PM Chính once again congratulated Malaysia on successfully hosting the 47th ASEAN Summit. Both sides commended the efforts of ministries and agencies in accelerating cooperation, helping advance the Việt Nam–Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in a deeper and more substantive manner. PM Anwar supported PM Chính’s proposal for the early signing of a cooperation document on Halal industry development and for effective implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on defence cooperation.

On this occasion, PM Chính also called for stronger maritime cooperation, closer coordination, and the timely sharing of comprehensive information on fishing vessels and fishermen. He requested that Malaysia ensure humane treatment of Vietnamese fishermen detained in Malaysian waters, in line with the spirit of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Meeting with Algerian PM Sifi Ghrieb, the two leaders expressed satisfaction the outcomes of the recent official visit by PM Chính to Algeria, which they said opened a new stage in bilateral ties. They noted that shortly after their talks in Algiers, ministries, agencies and businesses from both countries have conducted direct exchanges to explore cooperation opportunities. The PMs agreed to immediately study several specific collaboration projects in agriculture and energy.

At PM Chính’s meeting with Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the two sides welcomed the robust development of bilateral relations, marked by the historic elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Party General Secretary Tô Lâm’s visit to Indonesia in March 2025, with economic cooperation remaining a major highlight.

Vice President Raka agreed that both countries would work closely to develop the 2025–2030 Action Programme to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and create favourable conditions for market access for each other’s goods and agricultural products.

PM Chính proposed that Việt Nam and Indonesia further enhance cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture and emerging fields such as the digital economy, green transition and energy, with a determination to soon raise two-way trade to US$18 billion. The leaders underlined the importance of working together with other ASEAN members to promote multilateralism, cooperation and solidarity, uphold ASEAN centrality, and maintain the bloc’s consistent stance on the East Sea and other regional and international issues of shared concern.

Meeting with World Bank Group’s President Ajay Banga, PM Chính expressed appreciation for the WB’s active and effective support for Việt Nam over the years, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to achieving its strategic development goals.

President Banga praised Việt Nam’s economic progress and expressed confidence that the country would meet its growth targets. He affirmed that the WB would continue to support Việt Nam through policy advice.

PM Chính called on the WB to provide additional resources for Việt Nam’s economic-development programmes and to jointly advance large-scale, game-changing projects in strategic infrastructure and climate-resilience. The WB President backed the PM’s approach and proposals, agreeing that the two sides will move quickly to discuss them in detail.

At his meeting with World Trade Organisation Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, PM Chính reiterated Việt Nam’s consistent support for an open, transparent, fair and rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core. Director-General Okonjo-Iweala commended Việt Nam’s economic development achievements and the measures it has taken amid rising protectionism, while welcoming the country’s continued support for the multilateral free-trade system and for WTO reform. — VNS