Berne (VNA) – Economic and trade tiesbetween Vietnam and Switzerland have developed strongly and effectively acrossspheres, and would grow further in the time ahead.

The view was shared by Vietnamese Minister of Industryand Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and Swiss State Secretary for Economic Affairs Marie-GabrielleIneichen-Fleisch during their working session on November 26, aspart of President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s ongoing official visit to Switzerland.

Dien expressed his belief that economic and trade cooperationwill be the centre and main momentum of the relations between the two countries,and suggested Switzerland work together with Vietnam to successfully build upnew cooperative foundations in the time ahead.

Both officials lauded efforts of the two countries’negotiators during the talks on a free trade agreement between Vietnam and theEuropean Free Trade Association (EFTA). They held that after 16 rounds of official negotiations andvarious online meetings since 2012, it is time to conclude the talks.

Dien proposed Switzerland, with its great role andprestige in the EFTA, urge other members to take a more practical approach,especially in the fields where differences still remain like trade in goods,public procurement, and intellectual property, to wrap up the talks at an earlydate.

The two sides consented to work harder to speed up thenegotiations, considering this a priority task to create a firm legal foundationfor Vietnamese and Swiss enterprises to run long-term business.

They highlighted support to small-andmedium-enterprises in export, the development of fundamental industries andtechnology transfer to Vietnam.

On this occasion, Dien invited the Swiss StateSecretary for Economic Affairs to lead a delegation of Swiss enterprises to visit Vietnam as soonas possible.

The same day, Dien attended the Vietnam - SwitzerlandBusiness Forum co-chaired by Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and hisSwiss counterpart Guy Parmelin.

At the forum, Dien reiterated Vietnam’s commitment tonet zero emissions by 2050, as presented at the at the 26th United NationsClimate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), held in Glasgow, the UK.

Vietnam will implement a programme on energytransformation from now, he affirmed.

With its commitment and the pledge of theinternational community to help the country achieve the target, Vietnam needs cooperationin technology, governance and financial resources from partner countriesand investors, he said.

Vietnam welcomes investors fromSwitzerland, Europe and developed countries in general to come to the country to boost cooperation in thesepriority spheres, the minister stressed./.