Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Foreign Minister of Maldives Abdulla Shahid discussed bilateral ties and regional and global issues of common concern during their phone talks on October 9 on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations.

 Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh holds phone talks
with Foreign Minister of Maldives Abdulla Shahid 

Minh praised Maldives’ efforts against COVID-19 pandemic and initial success in reopening its door to international tourists. He thanked the Maldives Government for offering favourable conditions for flights to bring Vietnamese citizens home in July.

Shahid congratulated Vietnam on successfully coping with the pandemic and adapting to “new normal” state with positive economic growth. He thanked the Vietnamese Government and people for providing valuable material and spiritual support for Maldives in the pandemic fight.

The two diplomats consented to step up efforts to boost substantial and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two nations to meet expectation of their people.

They pledged to facilitate all-level visits and people-to-people exchange, intensify trade, investment, tourism and coordination in fields of strength and demand such as maritime and aquaculture.

The Vietnamese diplomat affirmed that Vietnam greatly values relationship with countries in the Indian Ocean, including Maldives, as shown by the hosting of the Indian Ocean Conference in Hanoi in August 2018.

The two officials concurred to continue promoting joint work and mutual support at multilateral forums, especially at the United Nations on the basis of respecting national sovereignty and international law, for the benefit of the two countries' people and for peace, stability and development in the region and the world as a whole.