Solomon Islands' leaders hail strong ties with Vietnam
At the meetings, the Solomon Islands' leaders praised the 29-year diplomatic relationship between the two nations, founded on mutual trust, respect, and shared benefits. They expressed their strong interest in expanding cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, tourism, and disaster management.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia and the Solomon Islands Pham Hung Tam (L) shakes hands with Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Jeremiah Manele. (Photo: VNA)
Sydney (VNA) – 🎃Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia and the Solomon Islands Pham Hung Tam presented his credentials to Acting Governor-General and Speaker of the Solomon Islands Parliament John Patteson Oti in the capital of Honiara on March 5.
During his visit, Tam also met with Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele and held discussions with key cabinet members, including Minister of Foreign Affairs Peter Shanel Agovaka; Minister for Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration Harry Kuma; Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources Nestor Ghiro; and Minister of Home Affairs Isikeli Vave.
At the meetings, the Solomon Islands' leaders praised the 29-year diplomatic relationship between the two nations, founded on mutual trust, respect, and shared benefits. They expressed their strong interest in expanding cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, tourism, and disaster management.
Patteson Oti emphasised the shared aspirations for a better future and called for negotiations on a free trade agreement and greater collaboration in international forums like the World Trade Organisation and the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Union.
Manele welcomed Tam’s appointment and reaffirmed the importance of strengthening bilateral ties. He proposed establishing a joint action framework to boost cooperation in trade, agriculture, fisheries, renewable energy, and environmental protection.
The PM also supported easing visa regulations to promote tourism and business exchanges and expressed his intention to visit Vietnam at a suitable time.
Agovaka admired Vietnam’s resilience and development experience, advocating for mutual visits and the signing of trade and investment agreements. He announced a plan to invite Vietnam to the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) summit in September and expressed support for Vietnam’s potential role as a Dialogue Partner in the forum.
Kuma, who has visited Vietnam twice, highlighted Vietnam’s rapid development and saw significant potential for collaboration in tropical agriculture, fisheries, construction, and infrastructure development.
Meanwhile, Ghiro said the Solomon Islands may consider licensing Vietnamese fishing vessels to operate in its exclusive economic zones and welcomes Vietnamese enterprises to invest in seafood processing and aquaculture.
Tam, for his part, conveyed greetings from Vietnamese leaders and underscored Vietnam’s commitment to deepening ties with the Solomon Islands. He proposed exploring air connectivity, visa exemptions, and investment protection agreements to facilitate bilateral cooperation.
The ambassador met with local Vietnamese residents and Solomon Islands parliamentarian Tran Nam Son, who pledged his support in promoting trade and investment between the two countries.
Representatives from Vietnamese businesses operating in the Solomon Islands praised the local government’s support and expressed their hope for expanding the Vietnamese community and business presence in the region.
Tam called for the early establishment of a Vietnamese association in the Solomon Islands, encouraging unity and adherence to local laws while maintaining strong connections with their homeland./.
As the Solomon Islands has held elections and established a new government, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on May 9 sent a congratulatory message to new Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele.
The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) on May 23 announced that the national futsal team will play two friendly matches with the Solomon Islands before taking training in South America.
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.
