Vietnam, Austria hold high level-talks

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (R)

The two leaders agreed to further promote extensive and pragmatic relations while showing elation at the fine development of their relationship since the two countries established diplomatic ties on December 1, 1972.

Chancellor Kurz emphasized that the Vietnamese government leader’s official visit represents a significant landmark in bilateral ties at the same time extolling Vietnam’s development and integration achievements, as well as its rising role in the region and the wider world. He said he hopes for stronger and more comprehensive development in the bilateral relationship in the future. The two PMs compared notes on measures to step up bilateral cooperation across multiple fields, ranging from politics, diplomacy, defence and security to economy, trade, investment, culture, and tourism.

They agreed to intensify all-level delegation exchange and effectively realize bilateral cooperative mechanisms, especially the inter-governmental committee.

Both sides noted with joy that Vietnam remains Austria’s largest trader in Southeast Asia while Austria retains its position as one of the 10 export markets of Vietnam in the European Union (EU).

Chancellor Kurz held that with its role as the EU Chair in the second half of 2018 and as a close partner of Vietnam, Austria supports and will expedite the early signing and ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

The deal will open up a plethora of major opportunities for economic, trade, and investment cooperation between Vietnam and the EU, as well as Vietnam and Austria, he noted.

On bilateral relations, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said that the two sides boast great potential for broader cooperation in economics, trade, investment and especially tourism as Vietnam is an increasingly attractive destination for the Austrian people.

The Chancellor also praised the Vietnamese community in Austria for their contributions to the host country’s socio-economic development and bilateral relations.

PM Phuc, in turn, thanked the Austrian Government for its support and preferential loans for projects in the fields of railway, healthcare, and vocational training.

He applauded the effective operations of 30 Austrian businesses in Vietnam in the areas of health, high technology, environment, and agriculture.

The two PMs concurred to work closely in carrying out projects using Austria’s preferential loans, while also incentivizing enterprises to boost investment and business connectivity and cooperation in necessary fields for Vietnam’s development such as transport infrastructure, clean energy development, vocational training, science-technology, tourism, healthcare, and especially smart city building.

PM Phuc used this occasion to thank and propose the Austrian side continue offering optimal conditions for the Vietnamese community in Austria to fully integrate into the local society and stabilize their lives.

Apart from bilateral cooperation, the two leaders also exchanged views on international and regional issues of shared concern and pledged to beef up bilateral cooperation at international forums and organisations, such as the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the ASEAN-EU, and the United Nations.

They also emphasized the importance of maintaining peace, security, and stability for cooperation and development as well as settling differences and disputes in the East Sea by peaceful measures in accordance with international law, the UN Charter, and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a number of cooperation documents, including an funding agreement on a project on improving medical equipment for Cho Ray Hospital’s tumour centre worth 25 million EUR between the Vietnam Ministry of Finance and Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on scientific-technological cooperation between the Vietnam Ministry of Science and Technology and the Austrian Ministry of Education, Science, and Research, and another MoU on e-commerce cooperation and Industry 4.0 between Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Austrian Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs.

Thereafter, the two PMs co-hosted a joint press conference announcing the outcomes of their talks. The Austrian Chancellor highlighted the sound bilateral friendly relations, saying that the two sides have huge potential for furthering stronger collaboration in the coming time.

There are 30 Austrian businesses currently operating in Vietnam who are highly satisfied with doing business in the Southeast Asian nation, the Chancellor said while hoping for more Austrian businesses to invest in Vietnam in the years to come.

In his remarks, PM Phuc said the two sides were unanimous in a host of specific measures to strengthen extensive and substantial bilateral ties in the time ahead by increasing delegation exchange at all levels, effectively implementing bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and supporting enterprises’ investment and business operations in each nation.

PM Phuc invited the Austrian Chancellor to visit Vietnam at the earliest possible date.

Prior to witnessing the signing of cooperation documents, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz hosted a banquet in honour of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his delegation.