The trip creates momentum to promote bilateral cooperation

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son answered the press about the outstanding results of the official visit to Austria, the state visit to Italy and the visit to the Vatican of President Vo Van Thuong and his wife, from July 23-28.

Lễ đón chính thức Chủ tịch nước và Phu nhân tại Phủ Tổng thống Áo

President Vo Van Thuong and his wife attended the official welcoming ceremony hosted by Austrian President Alexander Van dar Bellen and his wife on July 24. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Minister, please tell us the significance of the official visit to the Republic of Austria, the state visit to the Republic of Italy and the visit to the Vatican by President Vo Van Thuong ?

At the invitation of President of the Republic of Austria Alexander Van dar Bellen, President of the Republic of Italy Sergio Mattarella and Pope Francis, President Vo Van Thuong and his wife, along with a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, paid an official visit to the Republic of Austria, a state visit to the Republic of Italy and a visit to the Vatican from July 23-28.

Chủ tịch nước thăm Áo, Italy và Vatican: Chuyến đi tạo động lực thúc đẩy hợp tác óng phương

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son answers questions about the results of the President and his wife's visit to Austria, Italy and the Vatican. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

This is the first visit to Austria by a Vietnamese President in 15 years and the first exchange of delegations at the Head of State level with Italy and the Vatican in 7 years.

Taking place in the context of the rapidly and complicated developments in the world and the region, the visit is a clear demonstration of the independent, self-reliant, multilateral and diversified foreign policy set out at the 13th National Party Congress, demonstrating Vietnam's consistent policy of always attaching importance to developing the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with the Republic of Austria, the strategic partnership with Italy as well as relations with the Vatican.

It can be said that this visit of the President has contributed to creating new momentum to promote bilateral cooperation with Austria and Italy in all fields, from politics-diplomacy, trade-investment, development cooperation, education-training, science-technology, security-defense, culture, etc.

The visit is also the most important highlight in the context of Vietnam-Austria relations turning a new page when the two countries have just solemnly celebrated the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations (1972-2022), just as Vietnam and Italy are celebrating the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of establishing the Strategic Partnership in 2023, thereby contributing to demonstrating that the Party and State of Vietnam always attach importance to and prioritize the building and development of good relations between Vietnam and other countries, for the benefit of the people, for peace, cooperation and development of the world and the region.

President Vo Van Thuong and Italian President Sergio Mattarella had a successful meeting with many important results. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Could the Minister please tell us the specific results achieved during President Vo Van Thuong's visit to other countries this time ?

During the working trip, the President and the delegation conducted about 50 activities with rich content and forms, achieving many specific and comprehensive results in all aspects.

The countries gave President Vo Van Thuong a warm, respectful and thoughtful welcome. The local and international political circles and press closely followed, reflected and commented positively on the President's activities during the visit, thereby creating a panoramic picture of the success of the visit, reflecting the good friendship between Vietnam and the countries.

Austrian and Italian leaders both affirmed that they consider Vietnam a leading important partner in ASEAN and hope that Vietnam will act as a bridge to promote EU-ASEAN relations.

Some important and outstanding results can be seen as follows:

With Austria, we express our determination to continuously foster and further develop the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation in general and the high trust between the two countries' senior leaders in particular, in line with the tradition of 50 years of diplomatic relations.

The two sides reached high consensus on measures to continue effectively implementing bilateral agreements, especially in the fields of innovation, energy transition, and culture, contributing to creating new momentum to further promote relations in the coming time. The two sides also agreed to coordinate effectively in implementing the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), Austria to soon ratify the Vietnam-EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA); urge the EU to soon remove the IUU yellow card for Vietnamese seafood exported to Europe...

Vietnam and Austria also pledged to continue to closely coordinate and support each other at regional and international forums, while promoting the image of the two countries and people, boosting tourism cooperation, people-to-people exchange, and enhancing mutual understanding between the two peoples.

With Italy , the Italian leader affirmed that Vietnam is Italy's leading important partner in Southeast Asia, and agreed to continue to increase high-level delegation exchanges through Party, State, Government and National Assembly channels.

The two sides issued a Joint Statement on strengthening the Vietnam-Italy Strategic Partnership, setting out major directions and specific measures to deepen and effectively deepen bilateral cooperation, especially in the fields of politics, economics - trade, security - defense, education - training, science - technology, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchange.

The two leaders attended a concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Italy diplomatic relations (1973-2023). (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Vietnam and Italy agreed to coordinate at regional and international forums; address global issues such as climate change, energy and food security, especially in the context of Vietnam and Italy participating in the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

Notably, the Italian Parliament approved the Vietnam-EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) during the President's visit, thereby creating conditions for the two sides to strengthen cooperation in potential areas such as digital economy, high technology, green development, smart agriculture, etc.

Visiting the Vatican, President Vo Van Thuong met with Pope Francis and the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Parolin.

The highlight is that the two sides announced the approval of the Regulations on the operation of the Permanent Representative and the Office of the Permanent Representative of the Holy See in Vietnam, marking a step forward in the Vietnam-Holy See relationship. This is the result of a positive exchange process in the spirit of respect, cooperation and mutual understanding.

The President and his wife visited the Vatican and met with Pope Francis. (Photo: Vatican Media)

Pope Francis and Prime Minister Parolin expressed their impression of the positive, diverse and rich development of religious life and beliefs in Vietnam, including Catholicism; they agreed that the Catholic Church in Vietnam needs to continue to better implement the guidelines of "accompanying the nation", "good parishioners are good citizens", and at the same time, Catholic parishioners and dignitaries in Vietnam need to continue to actively contribute to the development of the country and the Church.

President Vo Van Thuong meets with representatives of the Vietnamese community in Austria, Italy and Europe. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

During the visit, President Vo Van Thuong met with representatives of the Vietnamese community in Austria, Italy and Europe; encouraged the community to uphold the spirit of solidarity, preserve cultural identity, actively integrate to contribute to affirming the position of the community in the host country, contributing to building a bridge of friendship between Vietnam and other countries, and welcomed the establishment of the alliance of Presidents of Vietnamese associations in Italy.

Leaders of the countries affirmed to continue to pay attention and create favorable conditions for the Vietnamese community to integrate well and act as a bridge for cooperation between Vietnam and other countries.

With the above important results, it can be said that the official visit to the Republic of Austria, the State visit to the Republic of Italy and the visit to the Vatican by the President have achieved very good results, creating an important driving force to promote bilateral cooperation to become increasingly deep, effective, stable and sustainable.

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