Trong ảnh: Tổng Bí thư, Chủ tịch nước Nguyễn Phú Trọng và Tổng thống Argentina Mauricio Macri duyệt đội danh dự Quân đội Nhân dân Việt Nam. Ảnh: Trí Dũng - TTXVN

HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary, President of Việt Nam Nguyễn Phú Trọng and President of Argentina Mauricio Macri have agreed to intensify the countries’ comprehensive partnership towards developing a strategic partnership in the future.

They made the agreement at talks that followed an official welcome ceremony for the Argentine leader in Hà Nội on Wednesday.

Trọng welcomed his guest’s first State visit to Việt Nam as President of Argentina. He congratulated Argentina on its recent achievements that have helped consolidate its position as the third largest economy in Latin America and a spot as a member of the G20.

He said Việt Nam sees Argentina as a leading Latin American partner and wants to enhance their partnership, especially in economy, trade and investment.

The host also thanked the Argentine Government and people for their solidarity with and support for Việt Nam during the struggle for national liberation in the past and in current development efforts.

President Macri spoke highly of Việt Nam’s reform accomplishments over the last three decades, reiterating that his country was determined to strengthen the friendship so as to contribute to each side’s development.

At the talks, the two leaders spoke about their countries’ situations and discussed measures to continue enhancing the partnership in a substantive manner. They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared concern.

They agreed to maintain high-level meetings and mutual visits at all levels and increase relations between the countries’ parliaments, parties and people.

They said they value the Việt Nam-Argentina Inter-Governmental Committee and the political consultation between the two foreign ministries, agreeing to continue to use these mechanisms.

Việt Nam and Argentina will promote negotiations on agreements and work to create a long-term legal framework for bilateral ties, the leaders said.

Party General Secretary, President of Việt Nam Nguyễn Phú Trọng, President of Argentina Mauricio Macri and their delegations hold talks in Hà Nội on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

Highlighting economic links, the presidents noted that bilateral trade reached US$2.9 billion in 2018, doubling the figure from five years ago. They agreed to further diversify trade to ensure more balanced interests, increase the exchange high-value products and boost co-operation between animal and plant quarantine agencies.

The leaders also vowed to facilitate dialogue between the two business communities through business forums and trade and investment promotion activities.

They welcomed the opening of the Vietnamese and Argentine markets to fruits from each other’s countries, noting the two sides would continue to discuss market access.

Both sides will also conduct a feasibility study on a trade agreement between Việt Nam and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) bloc, of which Argentina is a member.

Presidents Trọng and Macri agreed the countries would step up sharing and exchange of knowledge, experience, technology and technical expertise, particularly through co-operation on projects in agriculture, forensic anthropology and the peaceful use of atomic energy. They will also bolster ties in healthcare, defence, security, culture, sports, tourism and information–communications.

Việt Nam and Argentina will reinforce their mutual support at international organisations and multilateral forums, especially the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation, the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Co-operation and the South-South Co-operation, according to the leaders.

Regarding international and regional issues, they shared the view that sovereignty and territorial disputes need to be resolved by peaceful means with respect for international law.

At the talks, President Macri invited General Secretary, President Trọng to pay an official visit to Argentina. The Vietnamese leader accepted the invitation.

In the presence of the leaders, officials of the two countries signed several co-operation documents, including an action programme on technical co-operation in the identification of martyrs’ remains between the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship. The documents also included a cultural exchange programme for 2019-23 between the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Argentine Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology and a co-operation agreement between national radio broadcaster the Voice of Việt Nam and Argentina’s Federal System of Media and Public Content. — VNS