Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh responds when asked if he is ready to play golf with President Donald Trump

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and host Gillian Tett. Photo: NHAT BAC

On January 21 (local time), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended and delivered a speech at the Special Policy Dialogue Session "Breakthrough to the Future: Vietnam's Vision on Innovation and Global Role" within the framework of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Davos 2025.

Famous presenter, Editor-in-Chief of Financial Times magazine Gillian Tett and the Prime Minister discussed many issues surrounding Vietnam's development policy and relations with major countries.

Responding to a question about how Vietnam can balance its relations with both the US and China in the context of strategic competition, the Prime Minister emphasized that Vietnam is steadfast in its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, and diversification. Vietnam is a good friend, a reliable partner, and an active and responsible member of the international community, for the goal of peace, stability, cooperation, and development.

Responding to concerns related to Vietnam's trade surplus with the US, the Prime Minister said that Vietnam is always ready to listen, discuss and resolve issues that partners are interested in; Vietnam wishes to promote its competitive advantages, increase imports and cooperation in areas where the US has strengths and Vietnam has needs such as aviation, high technology, etc., and at the same time increase exchanges to better understand each other, in the spirit of "harmonious benefits, shared risks".

The Prime Minister recalled President Ho Chi Minh's saying: "Nothing is difficult/ Only fear that the heart is not steadfast/ Digging mountains and filling seas/ With determination, it will be done."

Regarding the question of whether Vietnam has discussed with the Government of US President Donald Trump, the Prime Minister said that General Secretary To Lam had discussed directly with President Trump, some contents can be announced but there are also contents that are still under discussion.

The MC asked the Prime Minister if he planned to go to President Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate and play golf with the President. The Prime Minister replied: "If playing golf brings national and ethnic benefits, benefits to compatriots, then I don't mind and I'm ready."

Sharing about the challenges from climate change, ensuring the dual goals of economic development and environmental protection, the Prime Minister said that as one of the countries most heavily affected by climate change and rising sea levels, Vietnam is strongly committed to bringing net emissions to zero and making efforts to promote green transformation and green production.

Vietnam is accelerating and making efforts to perfect its institutions to unlock resources for renewable energy development, and is starting a nuclear power project to ensure a clean energy supply for the country's development.

Concluding the dialogue, Ms. Gillian Tett shared the opinions of foreign investors about Vietnam as an impressive country with the process of economic transformation during 4 decades of renovation, maintaining strong growth momentum for a long time, attracting a large number of foreign direct investment projects, maintaining financial and monetary stability and economic growth rate of over 7% even in the context of difficult world economy.

With the goal of double-digit growth in the coming time, Vietnam will become a model of development in the world. Ms. Gillian Tett shared the appreciation of the business community for the commitment of the Vietnamese Government for the development and national interests, following the words of President Ho Chi Minh "Digging mountains and filling the sea/ With determination, it will be done".

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's messages received high appreciation from delegates attending the dialogue session.

VN (according to Vietnamnet)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/thu-tuong-pham-minh-chinh-tra-loi-khi-duoc-hoi-co-san-sang-choi-golf-voi-tong-thong-donald-trump-403678.html