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| Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (right) meets with President of Uruguay on the sidelines of the expanded BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro on July 7 (local time). — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang |
HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính had a meeting with President of Uruguay on the sidelines of the expanded BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro on Monday (local time).
The PM highlighted the recent positive developments in bilateral relations on the basis of solidarity and friendship between the two nations over decades.
He proposed the two sides soon negotiate and sign an agreement on investment promotion and protection, an agreement on visa exemption for ordinary passport holders, and an agreement on cooperation in science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation.
PM Chính suggested strengthening agricultural cooperation, opening markets for each other's agricultural products, and standing ready to send businesses to invest, produce, and process agricultural products that Việt Nam has strengths in Uruguay for local consumption and export to neighbouring markets.
President Orsi, for his part, affirmed that Uruguay always values and wishes to develop relations with Việt Nam. As the Chair of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in 2026, Uruguay wishes to promote cooperation between CELAC and Việt Nam, he said.
The President of Uruguay agreed with Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính's proposal to soon negotiate and complete the Việt Nam - MERCOSUR Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in the second half of 2025, which will bring benefits to people and businesses of both sides.
The two leaders agreed to increase the exchange of delegations at all levels to strengthen political trust, mutual understanding and discuss directions to expand bilateral cooperation.
They consented to direct ministries and sectors to coordinate for early organisation of the 5th political consultation between the two countries’s foreign ministries and the 4th meeting of the Joint Committee on Economic, Trade and Investment Cooperation to review bilateral relations and identify specific measures to improve the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation.
The two sides also agreed to strengthen close coordination, effective cooperation and mutual support at multilateral forums, including the United Nations.
On this occasion, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính conveyed State President Lương Cường's invitation to Uruguay to send a delegation to attend the signing ceremony of the UN Convention against Cybercrime in Hà Nội in this October. President Yamandu Orsi expressed his thanks for the invitation and highly appreciated Việt Nam's initiative. — VNS