Santiago de Chile (VNA) – State President of Vietnam Luong Cuong had a meeting with Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile Karol Cariola, who is also head of the Chile - Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group, in Santiago de Chile on November 11.

Cariola hailed the significance of Cuong’s official visit, which is the first to Chile by a Vietnamese President in 15 years, saying the trip will create momentum for further intensifying the two countries’ comprehensive partnership.

Cuong, for his part, appreciated the solidarity and support from the Chilean State, parliament, and people for the Vietnamese people during their struggles for national independence and liberation in the past, as well as the national construction at present.

Chile is one of the leading partners in Vietnam’s foreign policy towards Latin America, he stated, noting that the visit aims to continue promoting the countries’ comprehensive partnership in an increasingly substantive and effective manner, and it also reflects the Vietnamese leaders and people’s determination to enhance relations with Chile and the Latin American region at large.

The host considered Chile’s establishment of the diplomatic relationship with Vietnam (on March 25, 1971), making it one of the first two in Latin America to do so, as a demonstration of the Chilean Government and people’s sharing and solidarity with the Vietnamese people when it comes to the aspirations for freedom, peace, equality, and national independence. She also viewed that as one of the important milestones of their comprehensive partnership.

Noting the purpose o🌞f his official visit, the Vietnamese leader said it is intended to discuss and reach high-level consensus on measures for enhancing relations via all channels – Party-to-Party, State-to-State, and people-to-people diplomacy, with connections between the two legislative bodies playing an important role in developing bilateral ties more comprehensively.

Both leaders noted progress in the relations between the two countries and their legislatures as reflected through regular mutual visits and bilateral meetings on the sidelines of multilateral conferences. Cuong highlighted legislative cooperation as a key pillar of the Vietnam - Chile diplomatic relations, which has helped to create a favourable legal framework between the two countries. He expressed his belief that their parliamentary friendship groups will play an important role in enhancing the legislative ties. Cariola agreed to strengthen cooperation between the two legislatures in areas such as law building, supervision, and making decisions on key national issues. She also emphasised promoting collaboration between parliamentary committees in training and building capacity for their staff, sharing expertise in research and advisory roles, and organising parliamentary activities. She pledged to maintain coordination at multilateral forums, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and other parliamentary organisations, and to support each other’s stances on regional and international issues of mutual concern. At the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on many regional and international issues of shared concern. For the East Sea issue, the host held that sovereignty and territorial disputes should be resolved through peaceful measures, in line with international law, particularly the United Nations Charter and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). On this occasion, Cuong conveyed regards from Vietnam’s high-ranking leaders and the invitation from National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man to the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time./.