Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan (L) meets with President of the UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on May 3, 2023. (Photo: VNA)

The meeting, following a welcome ceremony for the Vice President of Vietnam, was also joined by Vice President of the UAE Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed.

The UAE President hailed the working visit by Vice President Xuan amid the 30th founding anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relationship (August 1, 1993 - 2023), affirming that his country views Vietnam as an important partner in the Asia-Pacific region and wishes to enhance all-round cooperation.

Vice President Xuan stated that Vietnam treasures and hopes to further strengthen the friendship and multifaceted ties with the UAE – a leading economic, trade, and investment partner in the Middle East.

The two sides discussed orientations and measures for promoting partnerships in various spheres and elevating cooperation to a new height.

They stressed the need to increase mutual visits at all levels, especially high one, coordinate closely and support each other at international and regional forums and organisations, and step up people-to-people and cultural exchanges, particularly in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship, to enhance friendship and mutual understanding between the two peoples.

The welcome ceremony for Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan in UAE on May 3, 2023. (Photo: VNA)

Both host and guest expressed their satisfaction at the strides in bilateral economic connections, including bilateral trade topping 5 billion USD annually.

To raise the trade revenue to 10 billion USD and higher, Xuan recommended the two sides encourage enterprises to engage in investment and trade promotion activities, create optimal conditions for each other’s strong exports, and continue perfecting the legal framework to facilitate economic links, especially soon launching negotiations on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) between the two countries.

Basing on the two countries’ strengths and demand, the Vietnamese and UAE leaders agreed to boost cooperation in other potential fields such as investment, oil and gas, renewable energy, logistics, agriculture, and Halal product manufacturing. They also agreed to hold a meeting of the Vietnam - UAE Inter-governmental Committee this year to review and devise measures for cooperation enhancement.

At the meeting, the UAE President appreciated contributions by Vietnamese people in his country, affirming that the UAE Government will continue providing favourable conditions for the community to develop further and contribute more to the two countries’ friendship.

On this occasion, Vice President Xuan conveyed Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong’s invitation to the UAE President to visit Vietnam in the near future. She also invited the Vice President of the UAE to visit the Southeast Asian country at a suitable point of time. The UAE leaders thanked her and accepted the invitations with pleasure.