Prime Minister receives WTO Director-General

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) shakes hands with Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. (Photo: VNA)

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on May 18 hosted a reception for Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who is on a working visit to Vietnam.

At the meeting, PM Chinh spoke highly of the role and efforts of the WTO Director-General in managing and promoting the organisation’s activities, and congratulated Okonjo-Iweala on her remarkable achievements since she took office in March 2021.

He shared Vietnam’s successes, stressing that the nation is consistent with its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, persification and multilateralisation of relations, and extensive and comprehensive international integration.

According to the PM, after more than 35 years of its renewal (Doi moi), Vietnam's economy reached 409 billion USD, with per capita income increasing to 4,100 USD from 160 USD. Vietnam has been among 20 leading economies in terms of international trade. The country signed about 100 bilateral and multilateral trade agreements and over 60 investment protection and encouragement deals.

As a responsible member of the WTO, Vietnam advocates promoting its active role in the WTO's cooperation frameworks, strives to fulfill its commitments and make positive contributions to issues of common concern of the organisation, he affirmed.

Vietnam has always supported an open, transparent, fair and rules-based multilateral trade system in which the WTO plays a central role in promoting trade and investment, and helping countries effectively respond to challenges, PM Chinh said.

He expressed his hope that the WTO will continue its support for member countries to seize opportunities from shifting trends and reshape supply chains, production, and investment, especially developing and underdeveloped countries.

The government leader suggested the WTO continue to strongly and practically reform itself to affirm its role as a foundation for the transparent and fair multilateral trade system that brings practical benefits to countries, including Vietnam.

Vietnam is willing to share its experience in fulfilling its WTO accession commitments; promoting trade growth, socio-economic development, poverty reduction, and inequality reduction in society, and women's empowerment, he said, adding that the nation is ready to coordinate with other WTO members to contribute practical and effectively to the organisation’s activities in the coming time.

The PM hoped that the Director-General and WTO will continue its cooperation and financial and technical assistance programmes for Vietnam to help the Southeast Asian nation improve the efficiency of international economic integration.

For her part, Okonjo-Iweala congratulated Vietnam on its socio-economic development achievements, saying that the country’s successes have inspired and provided experience for many countries around the world.

While the world economy has faced many difficulties and challenges, Vietnam's economy has been still growing at a relatively high rate because the country has operated financial and monetary policies flexibly and effectively, the WTO Director-General said.

She agreed with PM Chinh’s views on the WTO’s reform as well as strengthening cooperation between the organisation and Vietnam, saying that the WTO wants to cooperate with the country in developing green economy, digital economy, and inclusive economy, and in caring for vulnerable groups, women and children so that no one is left behind./.