Vietnamese Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân holds talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva on Wednesday (local time). — VNA/VNS Photo

BAKU — Vietnamese Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân held talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva in Baku on October 14, on the occasion of her attendance at the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

Aliyev thanked Việt Nam for sending a high-ranking delegation led by Xuân to the summit, describing this as a demonstration of Việt Nam’s respect and support for Azerbaijan’s role as CICA Chair.

He highlighted the long-standing traditional friendship between Việt Nam and Azerbaijan, noting that the two countries share many similarities. He also recalled the warm sentiments generations of Azerbaijani leaders had held for Việt Nam and his positive memories of his 2014 visit to the country, when he met Vietnamese friends and former students he had known.

Aliyev affirmed that Azerbaijan attaches importance to its relations with Việt Nam and welcomed the progress in bilateral cooperation. He noted that the two sides are implementing specific energy cooperation projects involving leading companies from both countries, while more Vietnamese investors are exploring opportunities in Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani businesses are seeking investment, trade and cooperation opportunities in Việt Nam.

He agreed with Xuân’s proposals to effectively implement cooperation agreements signed during General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Tô Lâm’s state visit to Azerbaijan in 2025, helping deepen the Việt Nam-Azerbaijan Strategic Partnership in a practical and effective manner for the benefit of the two countries' people.

Xuân conveyed greetings and best wishes from Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm and other Vietnamese leaders to President Aliyev and Azerbaijani leaders. She congratulated Azerbaijan on its achievements in socio-economic development and its growing regional and international standing.

She stressed that Việt Nam always remembers Azerbaijan’s valuable support during its past struggle for national reunification and its current nation-building process. Azerbaijan had helped train many highly qualified personnel for Việt Nam’s oil and gas industry, while generations of Vietnamese experts and officials who studied and worked in Azerbaijan had made positive contributions to bilateral relations.

Xuân also recognised the active role of organisations, funds and people-to-people exchanges in strengthening ties between the two countries.

She noted that Party General Secretary Tô Lâm’s successful 2025 visit to Azerbaijan had elevated bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership.

The called on both sides to promote economic, trade and investment cooperation while expanding collaboration in areas where Azerbaijan boasts strengths and Việt Nam has needs, including oil and gas, energy, transport, agriculture, tourism, education-training, science-technology, and innovation.

The two sides agreed to maintain high-level visits and contacts, increase exchanges among ministries, sectors and localities, and make more effective use of bilateral cooperation mechanisms to implement existing agreements and deepen the Strategic Partnership.

They also pledged to facilitate business cooperation and trade, while continuing to explore opportunities for oil and gas exploration and extraction in both countries. They agreed to consider visa exemptions for ordinary passport holders and encourage the establishment of direct air routes between Việt Nam and Azerbaijan.

Both sides highlighted the importance of strengthening people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in culture, education and tourism to reinforce the social foundations of bilateral ties. They also agreed to expand cooperation in sectors where both countries have strengths, including mining and aluminum smelting.

The two countries further agreed to enhance consultations, support each other at regional and international forums, while promoting multilateralism and respect for the United Nations Charter and international law, thereby contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. — VNA/VNS