(VOVworld) – Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son told ambassadors and charges d’affairs of EU countries at a meeting in Hanoi on Tuesday that Vietnam wants to strengthen cooperation with the EU to ensure peace, security, stability, and development. The meeting opened a series of activities to mark the 25^th anniversary of Vietnam-EU diplomatic relations. Son hailed Vietnam’s cooperation with the EU and each member state over the last 25 years and said he hopes Vietnam and the EU will fulfill the targets set for this year. These include ratifying the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation (PCA), signing the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), and the EU recognizing Vietnam’s market economy status.

EU ambassador Franz Jessen said the EU considers Vietnam an important partner in the Asia-Pacific region and pledged to further promote Vietnam-EU cooperation following the signing of the PCA and the EU-Vietnam FTA.