Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh holds talks with Dominican President

This is the first high-level visit since the two countries established diplomatic relations on July 7, 2005.

Pham conveyed greetings from General Secretary To Lam, President Luong Cuong and Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man to President Abinader and invited him to visit Viet Nam in 2025 on the occasion of the 20^th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

President Abinader expressed his admiration for Viet Nam's struggle for national liberation in the 20^th century and its achievements since the reform process was initiated nearly 40 years ago.

The two leaders expressed their pleasure at the positive developments in the bilateral relations, especially in such fields like politics-diplomacy, economy, trade, development cooperation as well as mutual coordination and support at multilateral forums.

The pair emphasized the significance and importance of preserving and promoting the values of the monument dedicated to President Ho Chi Minh in Santo Domingo Capital and monument dedicated to professor Juan Bosch, the first President of the Dominican Republic in Ha Noi Capital, considering these the symbols of solidarity and friendship between the two nations.

Both sides stressed the need to promote exchanges and contacts at all levels and across all channels to consolidate political relations and strengthen mutual understanding, thus creating firm foundation for expanding and improving the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation.

The two sides agreed to promote the role of the political consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries, expand and deepen cooperation in all areas, particularly economy, trade and investment, agriculture, science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, green conversion, telecommunication, renewable energy climate change adaptation among others.

The two sides agreed to soon convene the first meeting of the Viet Nam-Dominica Joint Committee for economic, trade and industrial cooperation and the second political consultation.

Prime Minister Pham suggested the two countries soon commence talks on a free trade agreement, an investment encouragement and protection agreement, and an agreement on visa exemption for ordinary passport holders between the two countries.

President Abinader thanked the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for having provided anti-swine fever vaccine which has proved highly effective in Dominica.

Both Pham and Abinader reaffirmed their commitment to promoting multilateralism and fostering collaboration and mutual supports at international organizations and multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Global South framework, and the Forum of East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), for the benefits of the two countries and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Comparing notes on regional and international issues of common concern, the two leaders agreed to support the settlement of differences and international disputes through peaceful measures in accordance with international law, especially the United Nations Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea./.