Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Dominican Republic President Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona pledged to foster multifaceted ties and witnessed the signing of two cooperation agreements during their talks in Santo Domingo on Wednesday.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L, 2nd) and Dominican Republic President Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona (R, 2nd) witness the signing and exchange of a memorandum of understanding following their talks in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, November 20, 2024. Photo: Doan Bac 

The talks took place as part of PM Chinh’s visit to the Caribbean country from Tuesday to Thursday at the invitation of Dominican Republic President Abinader.

During their meeting, the two leaders agreed to expand and deepen bilateral cooperation in various areas, particularly in economics, trade, investment, agriculture, science and technology, culture, and education.

Both reiterated the need to boost potential cooperative areas such as digital transformation, green transition, digital economy, renewable energy, telecommunications, defense, tourism, environmental protection, and climate change response.

PM Chinh proposed that Hanoi and Santo Domingo proceed with negotiations on four cooperative documents, including a free trade pact, an investment encouragement and protection agreement, and two others related to ordinary visa exemptions and cooperation on culture, education, training, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.

According to President Abinader, one of the Dominican Republic’s strategic targets is to promote multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam as both countries share various common goals, especially since the republic officially opened its embassy in Hanoi last year.

President Abinader and PM Chinh agreed to help Vietnamese exports further penetrate into the Latin American-Caribbean regions and for the Dominican Republic’s major exports to garner more accessibility in Southeast Asian markets, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

An overview of the talks between a Vietnamese delegation led by PM Pham Minh Chinh (L) and its Dominican Republic counterpart headed by President Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, November 20, 2024. Photo: Doan Bac / Tuoi Tre

The two leaders affirmed their commitments to promoting multilateralism, strengthening support for each other in international organizations and multilateral forums, such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the Non-Aligned Movement, the South-South cooperation framework, and the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation.

In discussing regional and international issues of mutual concern, both sides agreed to support the settlement of international disputes and disagreements through peaceful means in line with international law, particularly the UN Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

After the talks, PM Chinh and President Abinader witnessed the signing of two memoranda of understanding on the establishment of a joint committee for trade and technical facilitation, and on the cooperation between the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and the Diplomatic and Consular Academy of the Dominican Republic.

The two sides also launched a joint statement reaffirming the determination of both governments and outlining the measures agreed upon to further solidarity, friendship, and cooperation between the two nations.

Vietnam and the Dominican Republic established diplomatic relations on July 7, 2005 and the Caribbean country opened its embassy in Hanoi on February 25, 2023.

Vinh Tho – Duy Linh (Source: tuoitrenews.vn)