This was a multilateral and bilateral trip with many memorable points. For the first time, Vietnam attended the Ministerial level at the OECD Council Meeting as Co-Chair of the OECD Southeast Asia Programme (SEARP).
This is also the first exchange of delegations at the Foreign Minister level between Vietnam and France in a decade (in the context of the two sides celebrating the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the Strategic Partnership); the first visit of a Vietnamese Foreign Minister to the Czech Republic in nine years (right after the official visit to Vietnam by Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala in April 2023).
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| Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son attended and spoke at the thematic discussion session on "Inclusive and Sustainable Growth". |
Accompanying the development of green and sustainable economy
The OECD is an important multilateral cooperation mechanism that sets global rules, standards and policy advice. With the theme “Ensuring a Resilient Future: Shared Values and Global Partnerships”, the 2023 OECD Council Ministerial Conference is an opportunity for countries to discuss common goals, identify their determination to jointly address challenges, and move towards resilient, sustainable and prosperous development.
Vietnam-OECD cooperation is increasingly developing positively and substantively. Vietnam has signed the Vietnam-OECD Memorandum of Understanding for the 2022-2026 period and the Action Plan to implement the Memorandum of Understanding with specific areas of cooperation. Vietnam also, for the first time, together with Korea, assumes the role of co-chair of SEARP for the 2022-2025 period.
The Vietnamese delegation led by Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son attended the OECD Council Ministerial Conference in the spirit of being an active and responsible partner of the international community, and has been and is continuing to effectively contribute to common issues as a dynamic economy with many common visions with partners on the current path of development and integration.
As evidence of this, during his meeting with OECD Secretary General Mathias Cormann or in many sessions of the conference, Minister Bui Thanh Son shared about trade towards sustainable and inclusive growth, about innovative technology serving zero net emission economies. These are priority contents in Vietnam's policy, from the perspective of a developing country, contributing to creating a diverse and practical approach to two topics of global concern.
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| Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son works with OECD Secretary General Mathias Cormann, June 6. (Photo: Bao Chi) |
In addition, the Vietnamese delegation also attended many important activities, especially the opening event of the OECD Global Technology Forum and the Workshop on Global Tax Policy Developments, including the implementation of the Global Minimum Tax within the framework of the two pillars of the Multilateral Agreement on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting Measures (BEPS MLI).
In the atmosphere of lively discussions on such “stories” and common concerns, the Head of the Vietnamese delegation expressed his wish that the OECD would continue to promote policy consulting support to help Vietnam restructure its economy, innovate its growth model based on science and technology development, promote innovation and digital economy; coordinate and provide consulting support to Vietnam on new issues such as global minimum tax, carbon emission reduction, environmental protection, etc.
The role and positive contributions of Vietnam as co-chair of SEARP are highly appreciated by the OECD. In response to the requests, OECD Secretary General Mathias Cormann affirmed that the OECD will continue to accompany Vietnam in the process of developing the economy towards green and sustainable direction, and is ready to send experts to support Vietnam in implementing regulations related to global minimum tax.
Towards “new heights”
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| French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna welcomed Minister Bui Thanh Son at the headquarters of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs on June 5. (Photo: Bao Chi) |
Minister Bui Thanh Son’s official visit to France is of great significance to bilateral relations. The foreign policies of the two countries are at a strong intersection. France continues to be a key player in Europe, actively implementing a more dynamic and comprehensive policy towards the Asia-Pacific region. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s position is increasingly enhanced in ASEAN and in regional cooperation mechanisms.
During the meeting with President of the French Senate Gerard Larcher; meeting and working with Vice President of the Senate, former National Secretary of the French Communist Party Pierre Laurent; or holding talks with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna, Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed Vietnam's policy of attaching importance to relations with France and Europe in the overall independent and autonomous foreign policy, as well as Vietnam's desire to further strengthen coordination with regional partners on issues of peace, security, development and cooperation.
“New heights” in bilateral cooperation is a phrase that expresses the desire of both countries based on the positive developments in the relationship over the past five decades.
To materialize this determination, the two sides agreed to continue promoting visits and contacts at all levels in the coming time, especially between high-ranking leaders of the two countries; maintain cooperation mechanisms, including resuming the Deputy Ministerial-level Defense and Security Strategy Dialogue between the Vietnamese and French Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense; and conducting political consultations at the Director-level between the two Foreign Ministries.
| Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang: "The rich connotations of the relationship of companionship and trust, the exchanges during the Minister's visit are an opportunity for both sides to continue to emphasize the common perceptions of the vision of the relationship, determination to promote, deepen the connections between the two countries, closer and meet the diverse requirements today". |
In addition, the two countries identified trade and investment cooperation as an important pillar in the continued effective implementation of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA); attach importance to economic cooperation projects, especially the Nhon - Hanoi Railway Station urban railway project, a symbol of Vietnam-France economic cooperation. The Minister proposed that the French government support and urge the French parliament to soon ratify the Vietnam-EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), and urge the European Commission (EC) to soon remove the yellow card warning (IUU) for Vietnamese seafood products.
The two sides discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern, affirming mutual support at multilateral organizations and forums. Regarding the East Sea issue, the two sides shared the stance of ensuring peace, stability, security, cooperation and development in the region, resolving disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law and the United Nations Charter, and respecting the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Positive Development
After the Covid-19 pandemic was brought under control, the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and the Czech Republic are developing positively in all areas. Through frequent high-level dialogues between leaders of the two sides in recent times, the Czech Republic has always expressed its interest and desire to promote multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam, affirming that Vietnam is one of the Czech Republic's leading partners outside the EU.
This official visit to the Czech Republic by the head of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again affirms the positive development in relations between the two countries.
Through the meetings, the two sides focused on discussing measures to promote foreign political relations, maintain high-level delegation exchanges, support each other at multilateral and international forums, effectively implement the EVFTA agreement, enhance cooperation in trade - investment, security - defense, science - technology, education - training, culture - tourism, labor, etc.
| Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Thai Xuan Dung: “As an active member of the OECD, we hope that the Czech Republic can support Vietnam with experience in economic development policies, improving people's welfare, improving capacity, especially governance capacity, technology transfer, financial support... to help Vietnam in the process of green transformation, digital transformation, circular economy and adaptation to climate change for the goal of sustainable development”. |
In order to implement the unified policy from Prime Minister Petr Fiala's visit to Vietnam in April, the two sides focused on discussing the implementation of signed commitments, agreements and arrangements; especially promoting the signing of a new phase of the Education Agreement on the basis of the Letter of Intent on bilateral educational cooperation; urging the Czech side to relax visa regulations for Vietnam, moving towards signing a Labor Cooperation Agreement; promoting the establishment of cultural centers in the two countries.
In addition, the two sides discussed the effective implementation of cooperation areas such as the investment project of Skoda Auto's automobile assembly factory in Vietnam, cooperation in the field of energy development and management, especially renewable energy, cyber security, mining industry, geological survey, environmental technology, water and waste management, pilot training, etc.
The multilateral trip combined with bilateral trips with many “firsts”, before important milestones in relations with partners of Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son once again demonstrated that Vietnam is an active and responsible partner of the international community, sharing many common visions with partners, on the current challenging but also opportunity-filled integration journey.
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