No nation is safe while others still have to grapple with COVID-19: PM
Nobody is safe when there are still others contracted COVID-19 and no country is safe when other nations in the region and the world are still fighting against COVID-19, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said at the 7th GMS Summit held virtually on September 9.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Nobody is safe when there are still others contracted COVID-19 and no country is safe when other nations in the region and the world are still fighting against COVID-19, Vietnamese Prime MinisterPham Minh Chinh said at the 7thGMS Summit held virtually on September 9.
PM Chinh's attendance at the summit is made at the invitation of CambodianPrime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen.
In his remarks, the PM emphasised the strategic role of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) in the international integration process and economic growth of Asia.
The GMS’s cooperation outcomes have effectively supportedthe building of the ASEAN Community and shaping the regional architecture with ASEANas the centrality, while promoting the ASEAN-China strategic partnership, PM Chinhsaid.
He stressed that it is the interest and responsibilityof each GMS country to coordinate with each other to solve common challenges in the region andsupport each other for mutual development.
Political trust and cooperation on the basis of theprinciples of equality, consensus, mutual benefit, efficiency, practicality andrespect for international law will continue to be indispensable conditions forthe success of the GMS, the PM said.
He suggested priorities in GMS cooperation in the timeahead, firstly the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on supportingthe open, fair and transparent access to vaccines and treatment drugs.
The Vietnamese leader called on countries that are producingvaccines, including China, to further assist other nations, including Vietnam.
He proposed organising the annual GMS high-level forumwith development partners to review GMS cooperation and attract more resources aswell as consultancy from the partners.
The 7th GMS Summit was held virtually on September 9. (Photo: VNA)
Vietnam will continue to effectively contribute to theimplementation of common goals and visions of the GMS, work together with neighbouringcountries to build a GMS region of openness, safety, peace, prosperity andsustainable development, he pledged.
At the summit, themed "GMS: Renewed Strength toFace the Challenges of the New Decade”, leaders of the GMS countries and representativesfrom international organisations reviewed the progress of GMS cooperation sincethe previous summit held in March 2018 in Vietnam, and map out cooperation directionsin the next decade, along with solutions to overcome the current difficult period.
The meeting adopted the GMS COVID-19 Response andRecovery Plan for 2021-2023 and the GMS Economic Cooperation ProgrammeStrategic Framework 2030.
Accordingly, the leaders put forth the 2030 vision on aGMS region of integration, prosperity, and sustainable, inclusive development.
At the end of the meeting, they adopted a joint statementand agreed to hold the 8th GMS Summit in China in 2024./.
A programme to promote cross-border trade connectivity between India and countries in the Greater Mekong Sub region (GMS) was jointly held by trade promotion agencies of Vietnam, India, Thailand and Cambodia on August 19.
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen will preside over the seventh Greater Mekong Subregion (7th GMS) Summit via videoconference on September 9, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation announced in a press release on September 7.
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.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
Thirty years ago, on July 28, 1995, Vietnam’s accession to ASEAN marked a historic strategic decision, opening a new chapter in the country’s integration process and beginning its strong rise.
Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang has outlined specific priorities and proposals for cooperation with the UNODA in preparation for the upcoming 11th Review Conference of the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
The Vietnamese Party leader's visit is therefore expected to mark a new stage in the development of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, with a focus on such areas as digital transformation, supply chains, semiconductors, clean energy, and maritime security, Choe assessed.
At their meeting, which took place in the Angolan capital of Luanda on August 7 as part of State President Luong Cuong’s ongoing state visit to the African nation, the two officials also agreed to make full use of existing cooperation mechanisms, particularly the Vietnam – Angola Intergovernmental Committee, and step up exchanges of delegations at all levels.
President Luong Cuong's talks with his Angolan counterrpart João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, Vietnamese leader's receptions for a delegation from the Japan – Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance, and the Government's regular meeting for July are among news highlights on August 7 evening.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (Photo: VNA) 
The 7th GMS Summit was held virtually on September 9. (Photo: VNA) 
