Foreign Minister holds bilateral meetings on AMM-55 sidelines
Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son had meetings with officials from New Zealand, Canada and the UK on the sidelines of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-55) in Phnom Penh on August 3.
FM Son (L) and his New Zealand counterpart Nanaia Mahuta (Photo: VNA)
Phnom Penh (VNA) – Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son had meetings with officials from New Zealand, Canada and the UK on the sidelines of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-55) in Phnom Penh on August 3.
At their meeting, FM Son and his New Zealand counterpart Nanaia Mahuta agreed on the need to increase delegation exchanges and the promotion of annual mechanisms, striving for 20% growth in annual two-way trade to match the bilateral Strategic Partnership. They concurred to recover collaboration in other fields such as education, tourism, tourism, people-to-people exchange after COVID-19.
FM Son thanked New Zealand for providing 2 million NZD for Vietnam's recovery process.
Mahuta affirmed that New Zealand will maintain the provision of ODA and scholarships to Vietnam and strengthen the country’s cooperation in the Mekong region.
The two sides discussed the orientations of cooperation at ASEAN forums. Minister Mahuta invited Minister Son to visit New Zealand and co-chair the first Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
At a meeting with Canadian Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion, and International Trade Mary Ng, Son suggested the strengthening of collaboration within regional mechanisms, including the ASEAN, along with support for sustainable Mekong development.
Vietnam hopes for Canada’s assistance in mitigating climate change, and more investment from Canadian businesses.
On the occasion of the 50th founding anniversary of the Vietnam-New Zealand diplomatic relations, the two sides agreed on various measures to further beef up bilateral ties, including increasing high-level meetings, implementing bilateral dialogue mechanisms, and optimising the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
They also discussed measures to support Canada’s effective engagement into regional cooperation.
FM Son (L) meets British Minister of State for Asia and the Middle East Amanda Milling (Photo: VNA)
At Son's meeting with British Minister of State for Asia and the Middle East Amanda Milling, the two sides agreed to increase delegation exchanges and further bolster collaboration in climate change response and cooperation in trade and investment, as well as the effective implementation of the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA).
The Vietnamese FM proposed that the UK support Vietnam in establishing the equitable energy transition partnership with G7, and asked for the UK’s support in green finance, technology transfer, human resources development, and its sharing of experience in governance.
Vietnam hopes for more British investments, especially in renewable energy, finance-banking, pharmaceutical, IT, startup and infrastructure development.
For her part, Milling agreed that these will be prioritised cooperation areas in the time to come.
At the signing ceremony for the extension of TAC (Photo: VNA)
Also on the afternoon of August 3, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers witnessed the signing ceremony of Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) extension document for Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, Oman, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Qatar.
On August 4, the ministers and their counterparts will attend the ASEAN+1 and ASEAN+3 meetings./.
Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son attended the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-55) which opened in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on August 3 morning.
A senior officials’ meeting (SOM) and the fourth non-official discussion on the modernisation of civil services were held in Hanoi on August 3 as part of the 21st ASEAN Conference on Civil Service Matters (ACCSM 21).
Designing an appropriate salary and bonus system to attract talents to the state apparatus was a highlight of the sixth ASEAN+3 (China, Japan and the Republic of Korea) senior officials’ meeting (SOM) that was held in Hanoi on August 3 as part of the 21st ASEAN Cooperation on Civil Service Matters (ACCSM 21).
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
FM Son (L) and his New Zealand counterpart Nanaia Mahuta (Photo: VNA) 
FM Son (L) meets British Minister of State for Asia and the Middle East Amanda Milling (Photo: VNA) 
At the signing ceremony for the extension of TAC (Photo: VNA) 
