Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (right) and Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila review the guard of honour during the official welcome ceremony yesterday. VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

BUCHAREST — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Sunday held talks in Bucharest with his host Romanian PM Viorica Dancila during his official visit to the European country from April 14-16.
The two leaders expressed their joy at the fine development of bilateral relations, traditional friendship and multifaceted co-operation over the past 70 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1950.

The Romanian leader highlighted the importance of her country's relations with Việt Nam and stressed that the ongoing visit by PM Phúc was an important milestone in their bilateral ties.

She also spoke highly of Việt Nam’s socio-economic achievements and rising role in the region and the world.
The two leaders exchanged ideas on measures to push bilateral relations in fields of great potential like politics, diplomacy, security and national defence, economy, trade, investment, education and training, labour, culture, tourism, agriculture and food processing.

They spoke highly of the co-operation between the countries’ localities and said it paved the way for traditional co-operation between the two sides.
The PMs agreed to increase the exchange of high-level delegations and effectively implement existing bilateral co-operation mechanisms. The two sides should make active preparations for the celebration of the 70th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations.
The host PM said the Vietnamese community in Romania was small but trustworthy and integrating well, making contributions to the socio-economic development of the host country. Meanwhile, PM Phúc thanked his host and the Romanian Government for supporting the community.
Besides bilateral issues, the two PMs also exchanged ideas on international and regional issues of mutual concern, sharing a vision on and commitments to the acceleration of bilateral co-operation at international forums and organisations.

They emphasised the importance of the maintenance of peace, security and stability for co-operation and development; and the solution of differences and disputes by peaceful means in line with the international law, the charter of the United Nations and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
PM Phúc invited the Romanian PM to pay an official visit to Việt Nam. The invitation was accepted and will be arranged at a convenient time.
Following the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a co-operation memorandum of understanding on agriculture, animal health and food safety, and chaired a joint press conference on the outcome of their talks.

Business forum

Addressing the Việt Nam-Romania business forum in Bucharest the same day, PM Phúc called for a breakthrough in bilateral economic, trade and investment ties.
Speaking before hundreds of business delegates and investors, the PM said despite annual growth, the two-way trade, which stood at US$218 million last year, remained modest compared to their potential. 
While the two governments had worked to improve the business climate, firms themselves must strive to expand their scale and adopt new ways of doing business, he said. 
Việt Nam’s membership in 12 free trade agreements and the European Union-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) in the near future would open up opportunities for both sides to boost ties, he said.

He also took the occasion to urge the two countries’ chambers of commerce and industry to step up ties between firms. 
Highlighting Việt Nam’s advantages in foreign direct investment attraction, he particularly underlined socio-political stability, improved competitiveness and innovation, a 100 million population and the goal of attracting 50 million tourists. 
The Government leader asked the Romanian enterprises to push for the signing and ratification of the EVFTA. He suggested the two sides enhance science-technology collaboration, launch direct flights, and facilitate imports of quality farm produce and pharmaceuticals. 
Romanian business representatives responded by asking the two governments to facilitate co-operation opportunities, especially in labour exports, industry, culture and education. They expressed willingness to partner with Vietnamese firms, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises. 
Earlier on Saturday (local time), PM Phúc paid a visit to Prahova, home to the most dynamic economic development in Romania.

At a working session with Prahova’s governor Ioana Madalina Lupea, the Vietnamese PM highlighted the ties forged between several pairs of localities in the two countries, such as the memorandum of understanding signed between Hòa Bình and Prahova, Bến Tre and Tulchea, Đà Nẵng and Timisoara, and Lào Cai and Hunedoara.

Phúc said there was great potential for co-operation between Prahova and Vietnamese provinces, particularly in fields in which the Romanian locality was strong in, such as tourism, education-training, oil and gas, agriculture and forestries, which coincide with the priorities in Việt Nam’s co-operation deal with Romania.         

Governor Ioana Madalina Lupea welcomed the Vietnamese PM to the county, and informed her guest that the county’s authorities had co-ordinated with the Chamber of Commerce and the Vietnamese Embassy in Romania to organise business workshops and meetings to introduce Prahova’s strengths and opportunities for economic, tourism education partnerships, as well as cultural exchanges with Vietnamese firms and localities.

She said Prahova wanted to expand its co-operation with Vietnamese localities.

Also on Saturday, Phúc and his entourage had a meeting with representatives from the Vietnamese community in Romania and the staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Bucharest. — VNS