Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Belarusian counterpart Roman Golovchenko voiced their hope that the agreement on bilateral visa exemption for ordinary passport holders, signed during the visit, and the cultural cooperation program for 2023 - 2025, inked in May this year, will help tighten connections in terms of tourism, culture, and people-to-people exchange.

Welcoming his guest, PM Chinh said the official visit from December 6 to 9, the first trip to Vietnam by a Belarusian Government leader in 12 years, will create a new impetus for bilateral relations in all spheres.

He affirmed that the Government and people of Vietnam attach major importance to the two countries’ traditional friendship, which has been nurtured by many generations, especially the visits to the Eastern European country by President Ho Chi Minh in the past.

Highly valuing Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements, PM Golovchenko said his country treasures the traditional friendship and views Vietnam as a priority partner in Southeast Asia.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Belarusian counterpart Roman Golovchenko witness the signing of visa exemption agreement. (Source: Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy)

The two leaders shared the view on the importance of maintaining meetings at all levels, via all channels, and between their countries’ ministries, sectors, and localities, and on the need to bring into play existing cooperation mechanisms. They agreed to continue close coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums, especially the United Nations.

Vietnam is ready to serve as a bridge helping Belarus enhance cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the host said, calling on Belarus to support Vietnam and ASEAN’s stance on the East Sea issue.

Both sides spoke highly of the progress in economic, trade, and investment partnerships, including the implementation of the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), of which Belarus is a member. They held that the two countries should further tap into their cooperation potential.

PM Chinh lauded the outcomes of the Vietnam - Belarus business forum held in Ho Chi Minh City on December 7 that gathered over 100 companies from both countries.

[...] PM Chinh took this occasion to thank leaders and the Government of Belarus for paying attention to the Vietnamese community in the country, asking the Belarusian Government to continue providing favourable conditions for Vietnamese people to live, work, and study there.

Following the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of some bilateral cooperation documents, namely an agreement on the transfer of sentenced persons, an agreement on visa exemption for ordinary passport holders, a memorandum of understanding on cooperation and information sharing in the field of nuclear safety and radiation protection, and a cooperation deal on the official dissemination of Vietnam’s national standards in Belarus.

Source: VnExpress