Bern (VNA) – Vietnam always attaches much importance to intensifyingthe friendship and traditional cooperation with Switzerland, Vice PresidentDang Thi Ngoc Thinh said while meeting with Swiss President Ueli Maurer in Bernon July 3.

Expressing her delight over the sound relations between the two nations in thepast years, particularly in the fields of politics-diplomacy, trade-investment,education-training, and cooperation for development, she thanked the Europeancountry for supporting Vietnam to become a non-permanent member of the UNSecurity Council (UNSC) during 2020-2021.

Vietnam wants to boost collaboration, and share experience with Switzerland tofulfill its mission at the UNSC, she added.

Ueli Maurer, for his part, spoke highly of Vietnam’s socio-economicdevelopment, and global integration achievements, and congratulated Vietnam onwinning the non-permanent seat at the UNSC.

He affirmed Switzerland always treasures the relations with Vietnam, and hopedthat Vietnam would promote its role as a responsible and proactive member at theinternational organisations to which both nations are members.

At the meeting, both sides agreed to enhance collaboration at multilateralforums, particularly the UN.

They reached consensus on promoting exchanges of high-ranking delegations tocreate impetus for the bilateral ties, joining hands to successfully organisethe upcoming visit to Vietnam by headof the Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research GuyParmelin. They also discussed the negotiation progress of the trade dealbetween Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), in whichSwitzerland plays an important role.

They wished the trade deal will be signed soon, helping create a breakthroughin the bilateral trade ties.

Vice President Thinh stated that Switzerland is an important trade-investmentand development cooperation partner in Europe, saying the Vietnamese Governmentis working to facilitate long-term operations of Swiss companies engaging inthe fields of Vietnam’s needs, like finance-banking, insurance, manufacturingindustry, pharmacy, agricultural processing, and tourism.

Lauding Switzerland’s  contributions toglobal peace, security and development, Thinh hoped the country will continueits support for Vietnam and ASEAN as a whole to settle disputes in the East Seaby peaceful means, on the basis of international regulations, including the UNConvention on the Law of the Sea in 1982 (UNCLOS 1982).

To that end, they were unanimous to coordinate to ensure the respect of internationallaws in the world.

Thinh took the occasion to convey Party General Secretary and President NguyenPhu Trong’s invitation to the Swiss President to pay an official visit toVietnam soon.

Vice President Thinh is in Switzerland to attend the 2019 Global Summit ofWomen from July 3-7.-VNA