Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and his Israeli counterpart Naftali Bennett had online talks on Monday. — Photo from the Việt Nam Government Portal

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has asked Israel to give Việt Nam access to its COVID-19 vaccine surplus.

He made the request during online talks on Monday with his Israeli counterpart Naftali Bennett.

Chính expressed his admiration for Israel’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout as well as its efforts in seeking vaccine sources and vaccine research and development, suggesting the two sides work together in the fight against the pandemic, and partner in vaccine research and development, as well as treatment research.

He called on Israel to help Việt Nam access sources of COVID-19 vaccines and drugs supply as soon as possible through all possible cooperation forms, especially by transferring surplus vaccines from the deals Israel has signed with AstraZeneca and Moderna.

Israel is one of the countries with the highest COVID-19 vaccine coverage, while Việt Nam is struggling with the ongoing fourth wave and a low vaccination rate, with only 4 per cent of the population having received the first dose.

Bennett lauded Việt Nam's achievements in the pandemic fight, socio-economic development and external affairs, and said Israel sees strengthening its cooperation with Việt Nam as important.

They also vowed to boost two-way trade and investment, aiming towards sustainable recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two countries will focus on delegation and people-to-people exchanges, work to improve the quality of cooperation mechanisms, and step up coordination at multilateral forums, the two leaders agreed.

Việt Nam and Israel will also foster collaboration in research, innovation, science-technology, high-tech agriculture, and education-training, while encouraging their businesses to intensify cooperation and investment in the respective countries.

The leaders agreed to advance cooperation between the two countries in a more effective manner, and speed up the negotiations and signing of a free trade agreement and another on labour cooperation.

Chính congratulated Bennett on his election as Prime Minister of Israel and noted his belief that under Bennett’s leadership, the Israeli people will prosper.

Bennett agreed with Chính’s proposals, saying the two countries should assign their ministries and agencies to soon implement contents reached by the PMs, especially cooperation in COVID-19 vaccine-related issues, contributing to deepening the bilateral multi-faceted cooperation. — VNS