State President meets foreign leaders on UNGA general debate sidelines

At the meeting with Paraguayan President Santiago Peña Palacios, Luong reiterated that Viet Nam always treasures its relations with Paraguay, a key partner in South America.

He called on the two countries to improve the effectiveness of economic, trade, and investment ties, urging Paraguay to accelerate negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Viet Nam and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR).

He also urged Paraguay to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese investors to invest in Paraguay's telecommunications infrastructure, technology, and digital transformation sectors.

Palacios, for his part, said Paraguay stands ready to support the early start of Viet Nam–MERCOSUR FTA negotiations and wants to deepen multifaceted cooperation with Viet Nam, especially in processing industries, and agriculture and garment sectors.

The two leaders also agreed to work closely together to bolster cultural and people-to-people exchanges, while strengthening coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums.

During his meeting with Tajikistani President Emomali Rahmon, State President Luong affirmed that Viet Nam always attaches great importance to strengthening and developing its traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Tajikistan.

He proposed the two countries step up the exchange of delegations at all levels while bolstering collaboration in trade, investment, science and technology, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges to foster mutual understanding and friendship between the two nations.

President Rahmon expressed Tajikistan's high regard for and desire to strengthen comprehensive cooperative relations with Viet Nam, asserting that Viet Nam is an important partner in Southeast Asia. He affirmed that Tajikistan wishes to expand cooperation with Viet Nam and other countries in the region and ASEAN.

He highlighted potential areas for enhanced collaboration, including agriculture, railway connectivity, and infrastructure development.

The two leaders appreciated the positive development steps in bilateral cooperation, and said that the two sides still have a lot of untapped potential and room to promote comprehensive cooperation in all fields.

They concurred to promote cooperation and support for each other at multilateral forums, especially at the UN, while exchanging notes on several regional and international issues of mutual concerns.

At the meeting with Austrian Prime Minister Christian Stocker, Luong emphasized that Viet Nam always attaches importance to and wants to develop its traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Austria.

The President held that economic-trade-investment ties are one of the important pillars of the bilateral relations, suggesting Austria increase investment in Viet Nam in areas where Austria has strengths and Viet Nam has demands, such as infrastructure, renewable energy, and green transition.

The President also called on the Austrian Parliament to soon ratify the EU – Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and have a positive voice to urge the European Commission to soon remove its IUU "yellow card" against Vietnamese seafood exports.

Viet Nam is willing to act as a bridge to support Austria in accessing the potential ASEAN market, he noted.

The Austrian leader urged the two sides to increase the exchange of delegations at all levels, create more favorable conditions for businesses and localities of the two countries to connect and cooperate, and further promote cooperation in economy, trade, investment, science and technology, education and training, tourism, people-to-people exchange and other potential areas.

In the spirit of political trust, the two leaders agreed to strengthen coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums./.