Vietnam, Sweden agree to set up sectoral strategic partnerships

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström (L)

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held talks on November 23 in Hanoi with Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström, during which the two sides expressed their pleasure at the sound development of bilateral relations over recent years.

They agreed to intensify high-level delegation exchange and maitain close coordination between Vietnam and Sweden at regional and international forums.

The Swedish Foreign Minister applauded Vietnam’s socio-economic development and international integration achievements, especially the country’s successful hosting of the APEC Year 2017.

She affirmed her nation's wish to develop the time-honoured friendship and all-around cooperation with Vietnam.

Deputy PM Minh proposed specific measures to augment bilateral cooperation in key areas such as politics-diplomacy, trade-investment, education-training, science-technology, and national defence-security.

He called on Sweden to expedite the signing and ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), to pour more investments in Vietnam, transfer cutting-edge technologies to the country and share its management experience in fields of its strength.

Minh said Vietnam desires to learn from Sweden’s experience in promoting innovation and start-up and asked the Swedish government to provide more scholarships to Vietnamese students and offer optimal conditions for them to study in the European country.

Minh also asked Sweden to share its experience in developing Triple Helix model, under which the government, training establishments and businesses work closely in human resource development, and to assist Vietnam in fine-tuning its legal system and judicial reform.

He thanked Sweden for its material assistance and spiritual support to Vietnam during the past struggles for national liberation as well as the current cause of national development.

Sweden is Vietnam’s important economic partner in Northern Europe with annual bilateral trade turnover exceeding US$1.2 billion. During the three quarters of this year, the figure hit more than US$1 billion, up 16 % when compared to last year's same period.

During the talks, the two diplomats also compared notes on regional and international matters of shared concern, including the situation in the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the East Sea issue.