Liechtenstein Prime Minister Brigitte visits the Temple of Literature in Hà Nội on Monday afternoon before her departure. — VNA/VNS Photo An Đăng

HÀ NỘI — Liechtenstein Prime Minister Brigitte Haas left Hà Nội on Monday evening, concluding her official visit to Việt Nam from October 17-19 at the invitation of her Vietnamese counterpart Lê Minh Hưng.

While in Hà Nội, PM Haas paid tribute to President Hồ Chí Minh at his mausoleum and laid a wreath at the Monument to Heroic Martyrs on Bắc Sơn Street.

PM Hưng chaired an official welcome ceremony and held talks with PM Haas, after which the two PMs witnessed the signing of an agreement between the two countries on the avoidance of double taxation.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and President Tô Lâm met the Liechtenstein leader.  

National Assembly President Trần Thanh Mẫn also met with the Liechtenstein PM.

During the talks and meetings, the Vietnamese leaders stressed that this is the first high-level official visit between the two countries since they established diplomatic relations in 2008.

Affirming Việt Nam's commitment to its ties with Liechtenstein, the leaders spoke highly of Liechtenstein’s standing and strengths in science and technology, innovation, finance, and a highly skilled workforce. These areas offer potential synergies with Việt Nam’s development priorities and opportunities to strengthen links between Việt Nam, ASEAN and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

They welcomed the signing of the free trade agreement between Việt Nam and the EFTA after 14 years of negotiations with 21 formal rounds, as well as the double taxation avoidance agreement between Việt Nam and Liechtenstein, saying the deals would create a more favourable framework for businesses on both sides, help reduce tariffs and trade barriers, expand market access, strengthen business connectivity and boost investment flows, contributing to growth and prosperity in both countries.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng and his Liechtenstein counterpart Brigitte Haas at the signing ceremony of the double taxation avoidance agreement between Việt Nam and Liechtenstein in Hà Nội on October 18. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

PM Haas stressed that the visit is important for advancing bilateral relations and provides an opportunity to strengthen dialogue and international cooperation.

Commending Việt Nam’s development achievements, growth potential and strategic position, the PM expressed her hope that bilateral ties would expand across various fields and that both sides would effectively capitalise on opportunities arising from new cooperation agreements, with the two above-said agreements serving as important milestones in bilateral relations.

The two countries’ leaders agreed to continue promoting exchanges at all levels, advancing cooperation mechanisms and expanding collaboration in areas where both sides have potential, strengths and complementary advantages, such as finance, science and technology, innovation, digital transformation and high-tech manufacturing.

They also agreed to strengthen links among regulatory agencies, research institutes, universities and businesses, and promote research cooperation, technology transfer and the development of highly skilled human resources.

Building on Liechtenstein’s experience and strengths, the two sides will step up exchanges on investment fund and asset management, banking, capital markets and securities.

The two sides also agreed to expedite the ratification of the Việt Nam-EFTA Free Trade Agreement and accelerate its implementation once it enters into force, while strengthening cooperation in green transition, the circular economy, renewable energy, emissions reduction and climate change adaptation.

During her stay in Việt Nam, PM Haas strolled along Hoàn Kiếm Lake’s pedestrian streets and experienced activities in the capital, visited the Việt Nam National Assembly Museum and toured the special national relic site of the Temple of Literature.

Việt Nam's Minister of Industry and Trade Lê Mạnh Hùng and representatives of the member states of the EFTA officially signed the Việt Nam-EFTA Free Trade Agreement in Hà Nội on October 18 in the presence of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and President Tô Lâm.

The EFTA representatives were Swiss President and head of Swiss Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research Guy Parmelin; Liechtenstein Prime Minister and Minister of Government Affairs and Finance Brigitte Haas; Iceland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir; and Norwegian State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Astrid Bergmål. — VNA/VNS