Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm (left) had talks with Russian Presidential Aide and Chairman of the Maritime Board Nikolai Patrushev on September 8. — VNA/VNS Photo

MOSCOW — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) Central Committee and President Tô Lâm has highlighted maritime cooperation as a promising area for Việt Nam and Russia while receiving Russian Presidential Aide and Chairman of the Maritime Board Nikolai Patrushev in Moscow on Tuesday.

The Vietnamese leader, who is paying a state visit to Russia, affirmed that the Party and State of Việt Nam consistently regard Russia as an important and reliable partner and a top priority in Việt Nam's foreign policy and development strategy, a position reaffirmed by the 14th National Party Congress.

In the new development period, alongside further consolidating traditional areas of cooperation, the two countries should proactively develop new areas which are potential and aligned with their respective strengths and needs, with maritime cooperation offering particularly promising prospects.

Highly valuing the gradual establishment of a specialised maritime cooperation mechanism, General Secretary and President Lâm stressed that Việt Nam is a maritime nation with a long coastline and an important geostrategic position, and that the sea is of particular significance to national construction, development and defence. Việt Nam aims to develop its marine economy strongly and sustainably while linking economic development with environmental protection, national defence and security, and living standard improvement.

Welcoming the two sides’ identification of orientations for maritime cooperation in 2026–30, the top leader called on relevant agencies of both countries to urgently translate them into highly feasible programmes and projects, avoiding a situation in which agreements remain merely at the level of orientations and policies.

He noted that maritime transport and logistics are directly relevant to increasing trade and economic connectivity between Việt Nam and Russia. He therefore proposed that the two sides consider the development of efficient sea transport routes and strengthen links between their seaports, shipping companies and logistics enterprises, thereby reducing costs and facilitating the movement of goods.

Noting Russia’s extensive experience, scientific – technological capabilities, and industrial base in shipbuilding, General Secretary and President Lâm suggested that the two sides explore cooperation in shipbuilding, ship repair and maintenance, as well as technology transfer in line with Việt Nam's needs and conditions.

The two sides spoke highly of the long-standing cooperation between Vietnamese and Russian scientists, including positive results achieved under the framework of the Việt Nam–Russia Tropical Centre.

General Secretary and President Lâm asked for further improving the centre’s efficiency while expanding research cooperation into marine science, oceanography, biodiversity, marine environmental protection, climate change response, new materials and technologies serving the sustainable development of the marine economy.

Patrushev praised Việt Nam's vision and orientations for developing its marine economy and expressed his wish for the two sides to continue close coordination and effectively implement the cooperation plans and memoranda of understanding already reached, particularly by further promoting the role of the Việt Nam–Russia Tropical Centre.

In terms of multilateral maritime cooperation, he said Russia attaches great importance to promoting maritime cooperation with ASEAN.

The two sides also discussed cooperation in ensuring maritime security and safety, combating various types of crime and addressing non-traditional security threats at sea. They agreed to step up experience sharing, expertise exchange and coordination among competent agencies in accordance with each country’s laws and international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The Vietnamese leader called on Russia to continue making an active contribution to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region. — VNA/VNS