Vietnam, Switzerland Reaffirm Commitment to Deepening Comprehensive Partnership

Hanoi, The Gulf Observer: General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and President Tô Lâm reaffirmed Vietnam strong commitment to enhancing friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Switzerland during telephone talks with Swiss President Guy Parmelin on Monday.

During the conversation, President Tô Lâm congratulated President Parmelin on his re-election for a second term and expressed confidence that both countries would continue working closely to effectively implement and further deepen the bilateral Comprehensive Partnership established in January 2025.

The Vietnamese leader highlighted Việt Nam’s ambition to become a high-income developed country by 2045 with annual economic growth of 10 percent or higher. He reiterated the country’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, resilience, multilateralisation, and diversification, noting that Switzerland is regarded as one of Việt Nam’s leading partners in Europe and an important companion in its new development era.

President Parmelin congratulated Tô Lâm on his election as President by the 16th National Assembly and praised Việt Nam’s remarkable socio-economic achievements, saying the country’s rapid and broad-based development has made a strong impression internationally.

The Swiss President reaffirmed Switzerland’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Việt Nam, particularly in support of the Southeast Asian nation’s reform agenda and development objectives.

Amid a rapidly evolving and increasingly complex global environment, both leaders agreed on the need to strengthen dialogue, build political trust, and deepen cooperation across multiple sectors.

President Parmelin endorsed the four key cooperation orientations proposed by the Vietnamese leader, including enhancing political trust through regular high-level exchanges and effectively implementing the Comprehensive Partnership framework.

The two sides also stressed the importance of expanding trade and investment cooperation in line with the potential and standing of both countries, while identifying science and technology as a new pillar of bilateral ties. Priority areas include joint research projects in agriculture, biotechnology, green energy, and the digital economy. Defence and security cooperation was also highlighted as an important area for future collaboration.

The leaders further emphasized the importance of accelerating negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between Việt Nam and the European Free Trade Association, of which Switzerland is a member, to create new momentum for bilateral economic and investment relations.

President Tô Lâm affirmed that Việt Nam is ready to discuss intellectual property issues with Switzerland and other partners in accordance with international trade regulations. He also proposed that Switzerland share its expertise and support Việt Nam in developing international financial centres and fintech capabilities, particularly in digital finance, blockchain, digital assets, and sustainable finance.

The Vietnamese leader also expressed hope that Switzerland would continue supporting the Vietnamese community residing in the country, enabling them to integrate successfully and contribute to strengthening friendship and cooperation between the two nations.

On multilateral cooperation, both leaders agreed to enhance coordination at international forums and within the United Nations framework to address issues of common concern in accordance with international law and in support of global peace, stability, and prosperity.