HCMC – Vietnamese Party General Secretary and President To Lam on October 5 met with leaders from Laos, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, and Armenia during the 19th Francophonie Summit in France.
At their meeting, Lam and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith discussed strengthening cooperation between Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, with a focus on economic integration. The leaders agreed to enhance trilateral collaboration to deepen ties.
In a separate meeting, the Vietnamese Party chief expressed Vietnam’s commitment to its comprehensive partnership with Canada. He thanked Canada for providing 560,000 Canadian dollars to help Vietnam recover from typhoon Yagi and called for expanded cooperation in climate change adaptation efforts and multilateral forums.
Vietnam also emphasized its longstanding relationship with Belgium. Lam urged Belgium to expedite the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and called for support in removing the EU’s “yellow card” on Vietnam’s seafood exports.
In talks with Swiss President Viola Amherd, Lam proposed completing negotiations on a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Both leaders agreed to increase bilateral exchanges and cooperation.
In a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Lam emphasized Vietnam’s willingness to boost multifaceted cooperation with Armenia. Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of their countries’ traditional friendship. Pashinyan highlighted key agreements made during his 2019 visit to Vietnam and urged both sides to accelerate the implementation of those agreements.
