Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Swiss President Viola Amherd in Davos on January 17 (local time), on the sidelines of the 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF-54).

The Prime Minister congratulated Switzerland on the successful holding of WEF-54, which was attended by nearly 3,000 leaders of governments and businesses globally.

The two leaders expressed their delight at the strong development in the friendship and cooperation between the two countries, especially in the fields of economy, trade, development assistance, culture, and education. They affirmed that regular contacts and exchanges between leaders and delegations from the two countries have contributed to strengthening their political trust.

The Swiss President said she appreciates Vietnam’s outstanding socio-economic development achievements in recent years, affirming that Vietnam is Switzerland’s leading economic partner in Southeast Asia. She pledged to continue providing development aid to the country, with more than 40 projects being implemented in various fields.

The Prime Minister affirmed that the achievements from the two countries’ cooperation over the past 50 years prove their effective cooperation, laying a foundation for them to elevate relations in the future.

He proposed that the two sides coordinate closely to fully prepare for high-level visits between the two countries’ leaders, thereby reviewing and evaluating cooperation results and proposing measures to further advance cooperation.

He thanked the Swiss Government for providing Vietnam with official development assistance (ODA), which has helped it gain many socio-economic achievements.

He expressed a hope that more Swiss businesses will come to Vietnam, and that the two countries will enhance cooperation in science and technology and innovation as well as in security and defense.

The two leaders also agreed to adopt a flexible approach in negotiating a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and a bilateral Investment Protection Agreement, to create favorable conditions and ensure the interests of businesses and investors in the two countries.

Prime Minister Chinh and President Amherd affirmed that they will continue to coordinate closely at regional and international forums. Regarding the East Sea issue, they agreed on the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation and aviation in compliance with international law, and resolving disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), minimizing the impact of geopolitical factors on supply chains and the movement of goods regionally and globally.