President Lương Cường Welcomes Newly-Appointed Foreign Ambassadors to Vietnam
Hanoi, The Gulf Observer: President Lương Cường on Friday received the letters of credentials from the newly accredited Ambassadors of Finland and Canada, along with the non-resident Ambassadors of Jamaica, Tunisia, Slovenia, and Tajikistan to Việtnam.
Welcoming Finnish Ambassador Pekka Voutilainen, President Cường expressed confidence that, with his diplomatic experience, the envoy would help prepare for upcoming high-level exchanges between the two countries’ leaders and promote the upgrading of bilateral relations to new heights for the benefit of their people. He urged the ambassador to strengthen cooperation in areas of mutual interest, particularly science and technology, digital transformation, and the circular economy. He also thanked the Finnish Government for supporting the Vietnamese community in Finland, encouraging them to serve as a bridge of friendship between the two nations.
For his part, Ambassador Voutilainen affirmed his determination to deepen bilateral ties, particularly in clean energy, information technology, and artificial intelligence, while emphasizing the importance of strengthening exchanges through high-level visits.
In his meeting with Canadian Ambassador James Nickel, President Cường congratulated him on his new post and expressed Việt Nam’s commitment to further deepening the Comprehensive Partnership with Canada in a concrete, substantive, and effective manner. He welcomed Canada’s cooperation in defence and security, trade, investment, science and technology, and digital transformation, and thanked the Canadian Government for its support of the Vietnamese community living, studying, and working in the country.
Ambassador Nickel reaffirmed that Canada regards Việt Nam as an important regional partner, expressing condolences for recent storm-related losses and pledging to work towards stronger cooperation in multiple fields. He also emphasized Canada’s commitment to peace, stability, and multilateralism, and expressed a desire for closer collaboration in both bilateral and multilateral frameworks.
Highlighting the great potential of bilateral cooperation, President Cường noted that Canada remains the only G7 country yet to establish a Strategic Partnership with Việt Nam. He proposed that both sides work toward upgrading ties in the near future while enhancing coordination at international forums, particularly on issues such as peace, stability, and respect for international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Later in the day, President Cường also received the credentials of the non-resident Ambassadors of Jamaica, Tunisia, Slovenia, and Tajikistan. He underscored Việt Nam’s geostrategic role at the heart of ASEAN, its peaceful and stable environment, and its importance in regional and global production chains. He reiterated Việt Nam’s foreign policy of independence, multilateralism, and international cooperation, while affirming the country’s readiness to expand partnerships with Europe, Central Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.
President Cường expressed hope that the newly accredited envoys would foster high-level exchanges, enhance information sharing, and promote economic cooperation in sectors of mutual strength. He pledged Việt Nam’s readiness to facilitate their missions and work closely with them to build stronger ties for the benefit of their countries and peoples, as well as for peace and development in the region and the world.
