Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc holds phone talks with President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc held phone talks with President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday to discuss bilateral and regional cooperation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The PM told the Philippine leader that the Vietnamese Government, people and businesses had entered a new normal following the pandemic.

He highlighted the significance of international cooperation in the current context, and thanked the Philippines and President Duterte for making active contributions to the success of the online ASEAN Summit and ASEAN+3 Summit on COVID-19 Response held on April 14.

The Vietnamese leader spoke highly of the Philippines’ initial success in mitigating the impacts of the pandemic, and thanked its Government for creating favourable conditions for two flights carrying nearly 400 Vietnamese citizens home.

Duterte hailed Việt Nam as an effective example in the fight against COVID-19.

He highly valued Việt Nam’s leading role in its capacity as the ASEAN Chair 2020 in a cohesive and responsive spirit, and lauded the country’s efforts and initiatives on pandemic prevention and control, including the establishment of a fund for COVID-19 response and a regional medical equipment warehouse.

The two leaders agreed to enhance bilateral ties, improve the efficiency of cooperation in diverse areas via the effective implementation of the Action Programme to realise their bilateral strategic partnership and regular maintenance of cooperation mechanisms, especially the ministerial-level Joint Commission for Bilateral Co-operation.

PM Phúc proposed that the two countries should further lift two-way trade and limit the imposition of trade barrier measures, adding Việt Nam was ready to be a long-term supplier of rice to the Philippines at competitive prices.

Duterte thanked Việt Nam for helping the Philippines ensure food security, and agreed that both sides should offer humanitarian aid to each other’s fishermen in the spirit of traditional friendship and mutual trust.

The two sides pledged to offer mutual support at multilateral forums.

The Philippine leader vowed to continue working closely with and supporting Việt Nam in the role of the ASEAN Chair 2020 and a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council during the 2020-21 tenure.

The Vietnamese PM spoke highly of the Philippines’ role and contributions in its capacity as the coordinator of the ASEAN-China relationship.

The two leaders stressed the importance of further enhancing solidarity, maintaining ASEAN’s common stance on the East Sea issue, and accelerating negotiations to reach a quality Code of Conduct in the East Sea in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, contributing to peace, stability and security in the region. – VNS