Vietnamese Party chief and State President Nguyen Phu Trong and President of Argentina Mauricio Macri have agreed to intensify their two countries’ comprehensive partnership toward a strategic partnership in the near future.

The two leaders joined talks in Hanoi on Wednesday, as part of President Macri’s first state visit to the Southeast Asian nation from February 19 to 21, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

During the conversation, President Trong affirmed that Vietnam considers Argentina as its leading Latin American partner, and wants to enhance the bilateral comprehensive partnership, especially in economic matters, trade and investment.

President Macri praised Vietnam’s reform accomplishments over the last three decades, underlining that Argentina is determined to strengthen bilateral friendship and cooperation, thus further contributing to each side’s development.

Both sides agreed on maintaining high-level meetings and mutual visits at all levels, as well as increasing relations between the countries’ parliaments, parties and people.

The Vietnam-Argentina Inter-Governmental Committee and the political consultation between the two foreign ministries have also played an essential role.

The two countries will promote negotiations on agreements in different fields and work to create a long-term legal framework for bilateral ties, the leaders said.

They stressed that bilateral trade turnover reached US$2.9 billion in 2018, which was double the figure five years earlier.

The two sides reached consensus on further diversifying trade to ensure more balanced interests, increasing the trading of products with higher added value, and boosting cooperation between animal and plant quarantine agencies.

They vowed to facilitate dialogue and cooperation between the two business communities through forums and trade and investment promotion activities.

A feasibility study on a trade agreement between Vietnam and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) bloc, of which Argentina is a member, will be conducted.

Focus will also be directed on experience sharing, technical cooperation, and knowledge and technology exchange via cooperation projects in such fields as agriculture, forensic anthropology, and the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes.

Ties in healthcare, defense, security, culture, sports, tourism, and information and communications will be enhanced.

Vietnam and Argentina will reinforce coordination and mutual support at international organizations and multilateral forums, especially the United Nations, World Trade Organization, Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation, and South-South Cooperation.

Regarding global and regional issues, they agreed that sovereignty and territorial disputes need to be resolved by peaceful means with respect for international law.

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