Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng (right) meets with Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing in Hà Nội on September 5. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng on Saturday had a meeting with Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing, who said the two countries now hold favourable conditions to elevate bilateral relations to a new phase of development.

Welcoming President Min Aung Hlaing on his first visit to Việt Nam in his new role, PM Hưng emphasised that the trip demonstrates the determination of both governments to work closely together to deepen bilateral cooperation across various fields.

The host congratulated Myanmar on its significant progress in national governance under the leadership of President Min Aung Hlaing.

He reaffirmed Việt Nam's support for the Myanmar Government's ongoing measures to promote stability, reconciliation, dialogue, economic development, and people's life quality improvement, expressing confidence that Myanmar will continue to achieve positive outcomes in addressing socio-economic issues and expanding external relations.

President Min Aung Hlaing congratulated Việt Nam on its major socio-economic achievements and highly valued the country's growing regional and global stature. He also expressed his wish to learn from Việt Nam's socio-economic development experiences.

He stressed that Myanmar treasures and is committed to preserving the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation, built and nurtured by generations of leaders and people of both countries.

The two countries now hold favourable conditions to elevate bilateral relations to a new phase of development, he went on, thanking Việt Nam for its consistent support for Myanmar's development and international integration.

Both leaders expressed satisfaction with recent advancements in bilateral ties, including the new Vietnamese and Myanmar ambassadors' presentation of credentials and the successful 10th session of the Joint Committee for Bilateral Cooperation at the foreign ministerial level.

They agreed to enhance political trust, promote high- and all-level meetings, and advance comprehensive cooperation across Party, State, Government, parliamentary, and people-to-people channels in the new period.

They also pledged to push for the early resumption of key cooperation mechanisms such as the joint sub-committee on trade cooperation, the security dialogue, and the joint working group on bilateral defence cooperation, thereby creating new momentum for the Việt Nam–Myanmar Comprehensive Cooperative Partnership.

The two sides agreed to strengthen and turn defence and security cooperation into a pillar of bilateral relations. This includes intensifying coordination to combat cross-border crimes, cybercrime, online fraud, and drug-related offences, while expanding ties in training, young officer exchanges, military cultural and sports exchanges, and responses to non-traditional security challenges.

Regarding economic, trade, and investment links, the Vietnamese and Myanmar leaders shared the view that their countries possess significant potential to be tapped into. They highlighted the need to step up discussions on orientations and measures to boost trade growth, as well as to review and update commitments and cooperation agreements in trade, investment, and customs.

PM Hưng welcomed the organisation of a business forum as an opportunity to enhance corporate connectivity and explore joint investment opportunities.

He proposed the Myanmar Government continue facilitating operations and resolving difficulties faced by Vietnamese businesses, adding that the Vietnamese Government stands ready to encourage domestic enterprises to invest in areas of interest to Myanmar.

Pledging continued support for Vietnamese businesses operating in Myanmar, President Min Aung Hlaing called on Việt Nam to expand investment in telecommunications, digital transformation, high-tech agriculture, irrigation, aquaculture, food processing, and infrastructure development.

At the meeting, the two leaders agreed to comprehensively foster cooperation in other areas, particularly infrastructure connectivity and air transport, while promoting links in education, culture, people-to-people exchanges, and local-level connections to enhance mutual understanding.

They called for the early restoration of direct flights between the two countries and the development of joint tourism products such as spiritual and medical tourism, alongside expanding destination links with other countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

On regional issues, PM Hưng commended the Myanmar administration's efforts to foster peace, stability, and reconciliation, stressing that Việt Nam will coordinate with other ASEAN member states to maintain contact and constructive dialogue with Myanmar.

Both sides shared a common stance of supporting the peaceful resolution of disputes on the basis of international law, thereby contributing to regional peace, stability, cooperation, and development.

On this occasion, PM Hưng invited President Min Aung Hlaing to come to Việt Nam to attend the CLMV (Cambodia–Laos–Myanmar–Việt Nam) Summit and chair the Ayeyawady–Chao Phraya–Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit in Hà Nội in November 2026. The Myanmar leader also invited his host to visit Myanmar at a mutually convenient time. — VNA/VNS