Hanoi (VNA) – The Presidents ofVietnam and Chile have shared with the press that they discussed measures toenhance the bilateral comprehensive cooperation in politics, diplomacy,economics, trade and investment during their fresh talks in Hanoi.

Vietnam’s President Tran Dai Quang and Chile’sPresident Michelle Bachelet Jeria met with the press in the capital on November9 following their talks.

Quang said priority will be given to tappingpotentials and strengths of the two sides in agro-forestry-fishery,construction, biotechnology, mining, climate change adaptation, culture,science-technology, education-training, and tourism.

He hailed the signing of bilateral cooperationagreements on external affairs on the occasion of the Chilean President’sState-level visit to Vietnam from November 8-9.

He thanked the Chilean President and Governmentfor actively promoting the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on takingcare of children, especially the Agent Orange (AO)/Dioxin victims in Vietnam,as well as supporting Vietnam’s candidacy to the UN Security Council in the2020-2021 tenure and its hosting of the APEC Year 2017, including the APECEconomic Leaders’ Week in Da Nang.

At the talks, the leaders deal with regional andinternational issues of mutual concerns and shared the viewpoint on addressingsovereignty disputes via peaceful means based on international law, includingthe 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) anddiplomatic and legal processes, he added.

Jeria highlighted the significance of thebilateral free trade agreement which came into force from 2014, making Vietnamone of the biggest trade partners of Chile.

The two countries have also gained importantachievements in studying and applying technologies relating to rice cultivationto promote food production in Chile.

The MoU on cooperation in the field of childrenand adolescents is extremely important to Chile and marks the strongcommitments of the two countries to child protection, especially thoseseriously affected by Agent Orange/Dioxin, she said.

The President took this occasion to thankVietnam for supporting Chile to join the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in SoutheastAsia (TAC), affirming Chile’s desire to become a dialogue partner of the ASEANRegional Forum (ARF) to share experience in ensuring security in the Asia-Pacificregion.

Before the press conference, the Presidentssigned a joint statement and witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperationagreements, including a MoU on cooperation in the field of children andadolescents; an agreement on income activities for relatives of diplomats,employees of consulates, representative offices and internationalorganisations; and a MoU on cooperation between the two countries’ academies ofdiplomacy.-VNA