Joint Statement on establishment of Viet Nam-Mongolia comprehensive partnership

1. On the occasion of the 70^th anniversary of Viet Nam-Mongolia diplomatic relations, at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh and his Spouse, General Secretary and President of Viet Nam To Lam paid a State visit to Mongolia from September 30 to October 1. During the visit, General Secretary and President To Lam held talks with President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh and met with Chairman of the Parliament Dashzegviin Amarbayasgalan and Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun – Erdene.

2. The two sides' senior leaders highly valued the traditional friendship and cooperation between Viet Nam and Mongolia, which has been vigorously expanded and strengthened over the last 70 years; engaged in broad and in-depth discussions on how to advance the bilateral ties in the time to come, as well as on regional and international issues of common concerns.

3. The Mongolian side affirmed that Viet Nam is a major partner in Southeast Asia, expressed its wish to expand mutually beneficial cooperation with Viet Nam for across fields. Viet Nam affirmed that it attaches importance to fostering the relationship with Mongolia, respects the peace-loving, open, self-reliant and multi-pillar foreign policy and the "third neighbor" policy of Mongolia, and wishes to further promote the relations between the two countries in the coming time.

4. The two sides' senior leaders agreed to further deepen the Viet Nam-Mongolia relations in accordance with the common interests of the two peoples, significantly contributing to ensuring peace, stability and development in the region and the world; agreed to lift up the bilateral ties to a comprehensive partnership and to continue to boost cooperation, as follows:

I. Strengthening political cooperation

5. Both sides agreed to step up delegation exchanges and contacts at all levels through the Party, State, Government and Parliament channels; agreed to support the expansion of the close relations between the two peoples and to mull over the establishment of new cooperation mechanisms between the two sides' ministries, agencies and localities.

6. Both sides agreed to beef up cooperation between their legislative bodies, including cooperation between professional committees, parliamentarian groups, young and female parliamentarians in line with the two countries' new partnership framework; promote the renewal of the cooperation agreement signed between the two legislative bodies in 2018.

7. Both sides agreed to maintain the effectiveness of political consultation at deputy foreign minister level; regularly exchange on bilateral cooperation, foreign policies, and regional and international issues of shared concerns; mull over the establishment of a multi-lateral negotiation mechanism.

II. Expanding national defense, security and law enforcement

8. Both sides highly valued new progress in national defense and security cooperation in recent time and agreed to continue to maintain meetings, contacts and delegation exchanges at all levels.

9. Both sides underscored the importance of further expanding cooperation between their armed forces and law enforcement agencies.

10. Both sides agreed to effectively realize the signed cooperation agreements, speed up negotiations towards the signing of cooperation agreements in the fields of security and crime prevention; strengthen cooperation and information exchange; coordinate in evaluating and anticipating issues related to national interests and security of the two countries.

III. Expanding economic, trade and investment cooperation

11. The two sides' senior leaders agreed to foster economic cooperation in a substantial, effective and comprehensive manner; maintain bilateral economic cooperation mechanisms, including the Inter-governmental Committee for economic, trade, scientific and technological cooperation; agreed to enhance the role of the Viet Nam-Mongolia Joint Business Council in supporting trade promotion activities and boosting business linkages within the cooperation agreement signed between the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

12. The two sides' senior leaders agreed to mull over appropriate solutions to improve business environment and consider the signing of new agreement on investment encouragement and protection between the two countries.

IV. Promoting substantial cooperation in agriculture, science, transportation, culture, sports, tourism, education, labor, environment, and social protection

13. The two sides' senior leaders agreed to accelerate the modernization of the agriculture cooperation program within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2022 between Viet Nam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Mongolia's Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry.

14. Both sides agreed to strengthen the exchange of their policies and orientations for agricultural development; create legal framework for the export of farm produce of each side's strength; support each other in research and application of high technologies in agriculture sector.

15. Both sides agreed to boost the implementation of agreements and commitments within the framework of the Inter-governmental Committee, including the sub-committee for science and technology; enhance cooperation in research and development of high technology, digital technology, innovation, and information communication.

16. Both sides underscored the need to strengthen coordination in seeking feasible measures to address challenges and difficulties in logistics sector; share experience and good practices in implementing the signed agreements on road, railway, maritime and air transportation. Mongolia supports Viet Nam to join the Russia-Mongolia-China trilateral intergovernmental agreement on international transport signed in 2016. Both sides agreed to foster cooperation between their airlines; continue exploring the possibility of establishing a mechanism for goods transportation between Viet Nam, China and Mongolia.

17. Both sides agreed to effectively implement the Memorandum of Understanding on cultural cooperation signed in 2022 between Viet Nam's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Mongolia's Ministry of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth; strengthen the development and implementation of joint programs to encourage the exchange of cultural, art and sports delegations between the two countries.

18. Both sides agreed to strengthen mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples by enhancing cooperation in restoration, embellishment and rehabilitation of historical, cultural relics and intangible heritages; promote tourism potential and strengths of each sides; actively exchange experience and information regarding tourism policies and management.

19. Within the framework of the Agreement on education and training cooperation, both sides agreed to award scholarships to students of each side according to their needs and study fields.

20. Both sides agreed to continue exploring the possibility of manpower supply in the industries and sectors that the labor markets of both sides need, based on the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation signed in 2017 between Viet Nam's Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and Mongolia's Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.

21. Viet Nam highly valued Mongolia's efforts in responding to climate change and desertification, including Mongolian President's initiative to plant one billion trees (One Billion Trees), contributing to greening and combatting desertification in Mongolia. Accordingly, the two sides agreed to explore the potential to plant some trees suitable for Mongolia's soil in planned areas.

22. Both sides agreed to explore the possibility to jointly carry out climate change programs and projects.

23. Both sides agreed to intensify cooperation in the field of information and communication; explore the potential signing of an agreement on information and communication cooperation; share information, images and documents on socio-economic and cultural development process in order to increase mutual understanding about each other's country and people; cooperate in applying information technology and digital transformation in economic sectors.

V. Strengthening regional and international cooperation

24. The two sides' senior leaders highly valued the close cooperation between the countries at regional and international organizations, and agreed to continue close collaboration and regular exchanges on regional security and political issues and international situation of mutual concern; agreed to continue close cooperation within the framework of the United Nations and other international organizations.

25. Both sides agreed to continue close cooperation within the framework of international and regional organizations such as ASEM, WTO, ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), APEC and the "Ulaanbaatar Dialogue" initiative on Northeast Asian Security. The Vietnamese sides reaffirmed its support for Mongolia to strengthen cooperation with the ASEAN Member States and join APEC when it expands its membership.

26. Both sides agreed to expand cooperation to deal with non-traditional security threats such as climate change, terrorism and transnational crime.

27. Within the framework of active cooperation with the international community, contributing to the common efforts to protect the environment, combat desertification and respond to climate change, the Vietnamese side expressed its willingness to send a delegation to attend the 17^th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to combat desertification to be held in Mongolia in 2026.

28. Both sides underscored the importance of maintaining the environment of peace, security and stability in the East, settling disputes through peaceful means on the basis of the United Nations Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).

Within the framework of the visit, both sides signed the following documents:

Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between Viet Nam's Ministry of Justice and Mongolia's Ministry of Home Affairs; Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in cybersecurity and crime prevention between Viet Nam's Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of Justice and Mongolia's Ministry of Home Affairs; Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between Viet Nam's Ministry of Transport and Mongolia's Ministry of Transport; Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between Viet Nam's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Mongolia's Ministry of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth; Memorandum of Understanding on strengthening friendship and cooperation between Ha Noi and Ulaanbaatar administrations; Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between Viet Nam's Academy of Science and Technology and Mongolia's Academy of Sciences; Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between Viet Nam's Ha Noi National University and Mongolia's University of Science and Technology.

29. The two sides' senior leaders agreed that the State visit by General Secretary and President To Lam would significantly contribute to shaping and opening up prospects for friendly cooperation. General Secretary and President To Lam expressed heartfelt thanks to the warm hospitality that President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh and people of Mongolia offered for the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation during the State visit./.

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