Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Secretary-General of the African National Congress (ANC) Fikile Mbalula in Johannesburg (South Africa) on November 21 afternoon (local time).
The meeting took place as part or the former's trip to attend the G20 Summit and conduct bilateral engagements in South Africa, at the invitation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh conveyed greetings and solidarity from Party General Secretary To Lam and the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam to the ANC's Chairman, Secretary-General, and all its members.
The Vietnamese Prime Minister expressed his pleasure at returning to the beautiful country of South Africa and shared fond memories of leading a delegation from the Communist Party of Vietnam on a working visit to South Africa in July 2019 at the invitation of the ANC. He highly appreciated the ANC's historical role in leading democratic and patriotic forces to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination and oppression, building a democratic and unified South Africa.
He noted that the Communist Party of Vietnam and the ANC share many similarities in their ideals and goals of fighting against colonialism and racial discrimination.
In a warm and brotherly atmosphere, the Prime Minister recalled the first friendly contacts between the two parties at the Asian-African Solidarity Conference in Bandung, Indonesia, in 1955, considering it a solid foundation for the friendly and cooperative relationship between Vietnam and South Africa.
The Prime Minister said he was pleased to see that the ANC continues to lead the Government of National Unity (GNU) in South Africa, affirming its role in steering the country amid regional and global changes.
The Prime Minister also shared the strong developments in the relationship between the two countries and parties in recent times, with regular exchanges and visits between leaders of both sides. Notably, the high-level phone call between General Secretary To Lam and ANC Chairman and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in April 2025 set major directions for the relationship, followed by President Ramaphosa's state visit to Vietnam in October 2025.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that his participation in the G20 Summit and bilateral activities in South Africa this time is a firm affirmation of the long-standing, traditional, and trustworthy friendship and cooperation between the two parties and countries. He expressed confidence that upgrading the two countries' relationship to a Strategic Partnership is a historic milestone, opening up a new phase in the bilateral relationship's development. He urged the ANC to play its role in promoting the realization of this cooperation framework by South African ministries, sectors, and agencies.
Discussing measures to promote relations between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the ANC in the future, the Prime Minister hoped that the two parties would continue to coordinate well, creating a solid political foundation, contributing to guiding and facilitating cooperation between the two countries. He proposed that the two parties continue to enhance political trust, effectively implement the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation signed in May 2025, increase exchanges and visits at all levels, especially high-level, and enhance the exchange of leadership experiences, party building, and addressing economic and social issues. He also called for increased economic, trade, and investment cooperation in a practical and effective manner, leveraging resources and strengths to complement each other for development.
The Prime Minister expressed his desire for further coordination between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the ANC, thus facilitating cooperation between the two countries. He also that both sides actively coordinate and support each other more and more at international multilateral mechanisms, contributing to maintaining peace, security, and stability in the world, and promoting international cooperation to address common challenges and protect the legitimate interests of developing countries.
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula congratulated and highly appreciated Vietnam's impressive socio-economic development achievements in recent years under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, particularly its sustainable growth, effective poverty reduction, and strong international integration. He emphasized that Vietnam is a model for developing countries to learn from and agreed with measures to promote bilateral relations, including enhancing economic cooperation, cultural exchange, and mutual support on multilateral forums.
Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula expressed his delight and warmly welcomed the official establishment of the Strategic Partnership between the two countries. He affirmed that the ANC would continue to closely coordinate with the Communist Party of Vietnam to promote the implementation of the new partnership framework, contributing to regional peace and development. He noted that alongside maintaining and promoting good political relations, the two parties should lead efforts to promote substantive relations in all fields, especially the economy.
The ANC is committed to working with the Communist Party of Vietnam to continue building bridges of solidarity, with long-term trust, overcoming challenges together for the strength of both parties, the prosperity of both countries, and the happiness of their peoples, Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said.
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