An overview of the meeting between Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân and Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Nurlan Yermekbayev in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Vice President of Việt Nam Võ Thị Ánh Xuân on August 31 received Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Nurlan Yermekbayev in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on the occasion of her participation in the SCO Plus Summit.

At the meeting, Yermekbayev expressed his honour at welcoming Xuân to the summit and recalled his fond impressions and memories of Việt Nam and its people during his tenure as Kazakhstan's concurrent ambassador to Việt Nam.

Highlighting Việt Nam's growing stature and reputation in the region, the SCO Secretary-General said he was particularly impressed by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and President Tô Lâm's keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in May, noting that the goals and principles pursued by Việt Nam are fully in line with the SCO's development orientations.

For her part, Xuân thanked Yermekbayev for his goodwill towards Việt Nam and congratulated the SCO on its 25th anniversary.

She affirmed that the SCO has made important achievements in promoting dialogue, building trust, strengthening cooperation and connectivity across the Eurasian space, thereby helping to address conflicts and disputes and contributing to peace in different regions around the world.

The Vice President affirmed that Việt Nam attaches importance to its relations with the SCO and its member states, and stands ready to actively participate in cooperation activities within the SCO framework for peace, stability and development in the region and the world, in accordance with international law, the United Nations Charter and Việt Nam's foreign policy of independence and self-reliance.

Việt Nam is also ready to serve as a bridge to promote cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the SCO, strengthen connectivity between Southeast Asia and Central Asia, and enhance links between ASEAN and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) as well as other regional cooperation mechanisms, contributing to stronger cooperation for peace, stability and sustainable development, she said.

Sharing Việt Nam's major development orientations in the coming period and its goals towards 2045, Xuân proposed the SCO coordinate to promote collaboration in such areas as economy, trade, science and technology, and innovation, as well as in combating terrorism, transnational crime and cybercrime.

Yermekbayev said the SCO has evolved beyond being solely a security organisation as it was at its inception, adding that its cooperation is now expanding to various areas, including economy, trade, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

He added that the SCO is also undertaking comprehensive reforms to enhance its role and promote international cooperation between the organisation and its member states, as well as among SCO members. He expressed his belief that SCO-Việt Nam cooperation will generate practical benefits for both sides.

On the occasion, the Vice President invited the SCO Secretary-General to visit Việt Nam again at an early date to witness firsthand the country's latest development achievements.

Yermekbayev expressed his appreciation for the invitation and wished Việt Nam success in achieving its national development goals by 2045.

The SCO now has 10 member states, namely Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. — VNA/VNS