(VOVworld) – President Truong Tan Sang and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill have exchanged views on promoting bilateral relations, including boosting visit exchange at all levels. The two met on the sidelines of the 22nd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting which is taking place in Beijing, China, to explore ways to step up interaction between their business communities and increase cooperation in economics, trade, investment, and energy. They agreed to continue close collaboration at multilateral forums and within the APEC framework. Vietnam will host APEC Year in 2017 and Papua New Guinea will host the event in 2018.
Earlier, President Truong Tan Sang met with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III. At a meeting on Sunday, the two leaders noted with satisfaction the fine development of friendship and all-around cooperation between their nations and agreed to hold the first meeting of a joint committee hosted by their Foreign Ministers to design a strategic partnership for the future.
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| President Truong Tan Sang meets with his Filipino counterpart Benigno Aquino III (R). |
The two also exchanged views on measures to boost bilateral cooperation in politics, foreign affairs, economics, trade, finance, education, culture, tourism, and marine and oceanographic research. They agreed on stronger measures to boost trade turnover to 3 billion USD by 2016. In regard to regional and global issues, they underlined the need to maintain peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation in the region and resolve disputes by peaceful means based on international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They said they will continue working together to build an ASEAN Community by 2015, and provide mutual support for the Philippines-hosted APEC Year in 2015 and the Vietnam-hosted APEC Year in 2017.
The same day, President Sang received a number of leading US entrepreneurs representing the US Business Alliance.
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| President Sang attending a round-table discussion with US business representatives. |
Mr. Sang said that in 20 years of diplomatic relations, Vietnam and the US have seen positive developments, including the establishment of a comprehensive partnership. He added that many US groups have become trusted partners and pledged long-term investments in Vietnam.
The President met with the Vietnam Embassy in China where he called for greater efforts to effectively implement signed agreements.