International Conference "50 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Pakistan" was held in Hanoi on November 8, 2022. (Photo: WVR/Minh Quan)

Jointly held by the Institute for Indian and Southwest Asian Studies (VIISAS) under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) and the Pakistani Embassy in Vietnam, the event provides a forum for domestic and foreign scholars to suggest orientations to promote cooperation between the two countries.

The event was attended by Assistant Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang, Pakistani Ambassador to Vietnam Samina Mehtab, Vice Director in charge of the Institute for Indian and Southwest Asian Studies, Dr. Pham Cao Cuong, and many foreign representatives, representatives of Vietnamese related ministries, scholars and media.

At the opening of the workshop, Pakistani Ambassador Samina Mehtab reviewed the development of Pakistan-Vietnam relations over the past 50 years in all aspects. Politically, the two sides have established three important mechanisms, including the Bilateral Political Consultative Mechanism, the Joint Ministerial Committee and the Joint Trade Committee.

To further explore potential of the Pakistan-Vietnam relationship, especially in the economic field, Pakistani Ambassador Samina Mehtab suggested the two sides enhance the exchange of all-level visits, work closely to maintain and promote effectively bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and promote negotiations towards signing cooperation agreements in culture, sports, tourism, aviation and maritime transport, thus creating a legal corridor to expand their cooperation in related fields.

Pakistani Ambassador Samina Mehtab spoke at International Conference "50 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Pakistan". (Photo: WVR/Minh Quan):

She underlined the necessity for the two sides to strengthen high-level meetings and cooperation between their ministries and sectors, as well as expand economic connection, towards soon lifting the two-way trade to 1 billion USD.

The Ambassador also suggested the two sides boost cooperation at multilateral forums and coordination in the fight against transnational crimes, and soon sign agreements on mutual legal assistance.

Speaking at the workshop, Assistant Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang said that compared to the history of formation and development of every country, 50 years may not be too long, but for Vietnam and Pakistan, this is a long path.

With many similarities and sincere friendship cultivated through generations of leaders and people of the two countries, Vietnam and Pakistan have overcome challenges and adapted to great changes of the times in the past 5 decades.

According to the Assistant Minister, the world is currently facing many unprecedented challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and many consequences such as supply chain disruptions, food insecurity, energy security. In that context, the two countries need to maximize their internal resources and strengthen bilateral cooperation towards the stability and development of each country in particular and the region and the world in general.

Assistant Minister Le Thi Thu Hang thanked Pakistan for supporting Vietnam's recent election to the United Nations Human Rights Council. (Photo: WVR/Minh Quan)

She also noted that during the past 50 years, Vietnam and Pakistan have always accompanied as trusted friends in the Asia-Pacific region. The two sides regularly maintain the exchange of delegations at the highest level, promoting bilateral cooperation in all fields. The agreement on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and official passports in 2007 on the occasion of the two countries' 35th anniversary of the establishment of relations marked the development of the relationship to a new height with mutual trust.

In multilateral cooperation, Assistant Minister Le Thi Thu Hang thanked Pakistan for supporting Vietnam's recent election to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Referring to the development orientation of relations in the coming time, Assistant Minister Le Thi Thu Hang said that the two countries have plenty potential to become each other's important economic partners, especially in new and developing fields such as information technology, digital transformation, green economy, response to climate change for mutual recovery and development.

On that basis, the two sides need to effectively and practically implement the existing bilateral trade agreements and sign new cooperation agreements and agreements, create a legal framework and favorable conditions to promote the trade cooperation between the two countries, she added.

Vice Director in charge of the Institute for Indian and Southwest Asian Studies, Dr. Pham Cao Cuong spoke on the development of Vietnam-Pakistan relations. (Photo: WVR/Minh Quan)

Vice Director of the VIISAS Dr. Pham Cao Cuong said the Vietnam-Pakistan relations have continuously developed across fields since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1972.

Their high-ranking leaders exchanged visits and have reached important common perceptions to promote multifaceted cooperation.

The economic and trade relations have produced remarkable results, with the two-way trade surging by nearly 32% to 644 million USD in 2016, and hitting 794 million USD last year – the highest-ever level, despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the recent years, many Vietnamese businesses have begun to implement large investment projects in Pakistan, bringing about initial but practical results, Dr. Cuong said.

Participants at the Conference posed for group photo. (Photo: WVR/Minh Quan)

The two countries discussed measures to promote cooperation in agro-forestry-aquaculture, transportation, electrical equipment production, automobile assembly, tourism, construction, and information technology.

Le Trung Hieu, Deputy Director of Asia Pacific-Africa Department of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO), emphasised the need to strengthen relations between the Communist Party of Vietnam and major parties of Pakistan, organise annual people-to-people friendship festivals, and implement high-level cooperation agreements between the two countries.