Hanoi (VNA) - Liechtenstein Prime Minister Brigitte Haas left Hanoi on the evening of October 19, concluding her official visit to Vietnam from October 17-19 at the invitation of her Vietnamese counterpart Le Minh Hung.
While in Hanoi, PM Haas paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum, and laid a wreath at the Monument to Heroic Martyrs on Bac Son Street.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam received the Liechtenstein leader.
PM Hung chaired an official welcome ceremony and held talks with PM Haas. Following the talks, the two PMs witnessed the signing of an agreement between the two countries on the avoidance of double taxation.
National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man also met with the Liechtenstein PM.
During the talks and meetings, the Vietnamese leaders stressed that this is the first high-level official visit between the two countries since they established diplomatic relations in 2008.
Affirming Vietnam’s commitment to its ties with Liechtenstein, the leaders spoke highly of Liechtenstein’s standing and strengths in science and technology, innovation, finance, and a highly skilled workforce. These areas offer potential synergies with Vietnam’s development priorities and opportunities to strengthen links between Vietnam, ASEAN and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).
They welcomed the signing of the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the EFTA after 14 years of negotiations with 21 formal rounds, as well as the double taxation avoidance agreement between Vietnam and Liechtenstein, saying the deals would create a more favourable framework for businesses on both sides, help reduce tariffs and trade barriers, expand market access, strengthen business connectivity and boost investment flows, contributing to growth and prosperity in both countries.
PM Haas stressed that the visit is important for advancing bilateral relations and provides an opportunity to strengthen dialogue and international cooperation.
Commending Vietnam’s development achievements, growth potential and strategic position, the PM expressed her hope that bilateral ties would expand across various fields and that both sides would effectively capitalise on opportunities arising from new cooperation agreements, with the two above-said agreements serving as important milestones in bilateral relations.
The two countries’ leaders agreed to continue promoting exchanges at all levels, advancing cooperation mechanisms and expanding collaboration in areas where both sides have potential, strengths and complementary advantages, such as finance, science and technology, innovation, digital transformation and high-tech manufacturing. They also agreed to strengthen links among regulatory agencies, research institutes, universities and businesses, and promote research cooperation, technology transfer and the development of highly skilled human resources.
Building on Liechtenstein’s experience and strengths, the two sides will step up exchanges on investment fund and asset management, banking, capital markets and securities.
The two sides also agreed to expedite the ratification of the Vietnam-EFTA Free Trade Agreement and accelerate its implementation once it enters into force, while strengthening cooperation in green transition, the circular economy, renewable energy, emissions reduction and climate change adaptation.
During her stay in Vietnam, PM Haas strolled along Hoan Kiem Lake’s pedestrian streets and experienced activities in the capital, visited the Vietnam National Assembly Museum and toured the special national relic site of the Temple of Literature.
Vietnam's Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung and representatives of the member states of the EFTA officially signed the Vietnam-EFTA Free Trade Agreement in Hanoi on October 18.
The signing was witnessed by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam.
The EFTA representatives were Swiss President and head of Swiss Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research Guy Parmelin; Liechtenstein Prime Minister and Minister of Government Affairs and Finance Brigitte Haas; Iceland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir; and Norwegian State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Astrid Bergmål./.