HÀ NỘI — At the request of Canada, Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn has spoken over the phone with Canadian Deputy Foreign Minister Marta Morgan to discuss bilateral relations and share experience in COVID-19 prevention and control.

The officials highly valued the development of their countries’ relations in all aspects, especially since Việt Nam and Canada set up their comprehensive partnership in 2017 and started to implement the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

They agreed to promote delegation exchanges at all levels and maintain existing cooperation mechanisms between their foreign ministries.

The deputy ministers affirmed that their countries will keep coordinating closely at international and regional forums while Việt Nam serves as the ASEAN Chair this year and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-21.

During the talks, both sides also shared experience in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Sơn said the Vietnamese Government has taken drastic actions and been making all-out efforts to stop the spread. 

It also pledges to further create favourable conditions for investment, production and business activities in the country, he noted, asking Canada to work closely with Việt Nam in this regard, especially amid the complex and unpredictable developments of the COVID-19 outbreak.

For her part, Deputy Foreign Minister Morgan highly valued the strong and active measures taken by Việt Nam against COVID-19.

She said the Canadian Government will continue enhancing ties with Việt Nam within the framework of the comprehensive partnership and support the Southeast Asian nation in its roles as the ASEAN Chair this year and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-21.

The Canadian Government also hopes the two countries will continue their close coordination on issues of common concern at regional and international forums, she added. — VNS