Deputy PM Trương Hòa Bình holds talks with Acting Deputy PM and Minister of Finance of Finland Mika Lintila in Helsinki. VNA/VNS Photo

HELSINKI Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hòa Bình held talks with Acting Deputy PM and Minister of Finance of Finland Mika Lintila in Helsinki yesterday as part of his official visit to the European nation.
The host welcomed Deputy PM Bình’s visit, saying it would create a new driving force for the two countries’ relations. 
He said Finland attached importance to developing multifaceted co-operation with Việt Nam.
At the talks, the two sides agreed their bilateral ties had made progress in various spheres. They agreed to increase mutual visits and meetings at all levels and continue to implement existing co-operation mechanisms.
Trade – investment partnerships play an important role in the countries’ relations and have recorded considerable potential. However, they have yet to match both sides’ potential and expectations.
Bình asked the Finnish government to encourage the country’s businesses to invest in Việt Nam in its fields of strength such as the environment, renewable energy, waste treatment and innovation.
Lintila said more than 100 Finnish enterprises in Việt Nam were making efforts to promote joint projects with their local partners in fields matching Finland’s strengths and Việt Nam’s demands.
The two officials also discussed measures to enhance the countries’ connections in science and technology, education and training, justice, law and social security.
They described the Vietnamese community in Finland as a bridge linking both nations, adding they would co-ordinate to create conditions for them to integrate into local society.
Deputy PM Bình called on Finland to back the comprehensive development of Việt Nam–EU relations. 
The host official said his country supported their ties and hoped the Việt Nam–EU Free Trade Agreement and Investment Protection Agreement would be ratified and take effect as soon as possible to benefit all parties and help strengthen economic, trade and investment links.
At the talks, both sides agreed to bolster co-ordination at regional and international forums and join common co-operation to deal with global issues.
They also exchanged ideas on regional and international issues of shared concern, including the recent developments in the East Sea, and emphasised the importance of maintaining peace, stability, freedom, safety and security of navigation and aviation in the region, and of resolving disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Also on Friday, Deputy PM Binh met with First Deputy Speaker of the Finnish Parliament Tuula Haatainen.
Bình spoke highly of the Finnish Parliament’s contributions to bilateral relations and said he hoped the two countries’ legislatures would continue working together to implement signed agreements and set up new directions for bilateral ties.
He conveyed National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân and Vice Chairwoman Tòng Thị Phóng’s invitations to visit Việt Nam to the speaker and the deputy speaker of the Finnish parliament.
The Deputy PM also expressed his hope for the establishment of a Finland–Việt Nam parliamentary friendship group to help foster collaboration between the two parliaments and the countries.
Deputy Speaker Haatainen said the Finnish parliament supported a stronger friendship between the two peoples as well as more effective relations between their countries. She also agreed on the need to further reinforce the parliamentary partnership, including by setting up a parliamentary friendship group.
Deputy PM Bình reiterated Việt Nam’s commitments to environmental protection, climate change response, improvement of people’s living standards and development quality.

He said the country wished to continue partnering Finland in these fields to build on their current co-operation. VNS