Vietnam, Israel convene fourth political consultation
Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet and Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Political Director Alon Bar co-chaired the fourth political consultation conference between the two ministries via videoconference on May 26.
The conference was held via videoconference on May 26 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet and Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Political Director Alon Bar co-chaired the fourth political consultation conference between the two ministries via videoconference on May 26.
Viet and Bar briefed each other on the political and socio-economic situation in their respective countries, and highly valued the positive progresses in the all-round cooperation between Vietnam and Israel over the years, especially in politics, diplomacy, economy, science-technology, and startup.
Viet welcomed the organisation of the fourth consultation conference, describing it as an effective mechanism for reviewing and enhancing the effectiveness of the cooperation between the two countries.
He affirmed that Vietnam highly values and hopes to promote multifaceted ties with Israel, and thanked the Israeli Government and businesses for assisting Vietnam in responding to COVID-19.
For his part, Bar said Israel and Vietnam boast supplementary advantages and have high potential to further promote their cooperation in the time to come.
As Vietnam and Israel will celebrate the 30th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2023, the two sides agreed on many specific measures to further beef up the partnership between the two countries, including increasing delegation exchange and online meetings of leaders of the two countries as well as representatives of ministries, sectors and localities.
They concurred that the two countries should organise activities of cooperation mechanisms, including the third meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee, and speed up the negotiation of important cooperation agreements such as the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement and a labour agreement. The two sides should also boost cooperation in investment and science-technology, and consider the launch of a direct air route to facilitate people-to-people exchange, and increase Israel’s support to startup businesses and projects of Vietnam.
The two sides also took the occasion to exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concern./.
During an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the cusp of the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, Ambassador of Israel to Vietnam Nadav Eshcar spoke highly of Vietnam’s successful response to COVID-19, adding that he was also impressed to see the significant growth in trade volumes between the two countries over the last two years despite the pandemic.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel, in collaboration with the Israel-Asia Chamber of Commerce, held a ceremony on March 22 to inaugurate the Israel-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce.
Politburo member, President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA) and Chairman of the Central Theory Council Nguyen Xuan Thang is paying a working visit to Israel, meeting many local leaders.
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.
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 conference was held via videoconference on May 26 (Photo: VNA) 
