Developing port logistics
Panama has consistently ranked among Vietnam's top 10 trading partners in Latin America.
With its strategic location, Panama could become a gateway for Vietnamese goods to access the Americas, while Vietnam could be a bridge for Panama to expand into the ASEAN market.
Speaking at a press conference, General Secretary and President To Lam said that during the talks, both sides agreed that there is still great potential for cooperation, especially in trade, investment, and services.
Based on that, both sides agreed to continue promoting cooperation in the fields of economics , trade, investment, agriculture, port logistics, finance, banking, tourism, transportation, and other areas where both sides have strengths.
Both sides also agreed on the need to continue exchanging and negotiating documents on investment protection, aviation, and several other areas, creating a favorable framework for expanding cooperation.
One important topic discussed by both sides was leveraging each country's geoeconomic advantages, strengthening connectivity in transportation, logistics, financial flows, and supply chains between East Asia and Latin America; thereby creating more opportunities for businesses in both countries.
Regarding multilateral cooperation, both sides agreed to continue coordinating and supporting each other in international organizations and multilateral forums; exchange views on regional and international issues of common concern; uphold the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter; support the maintenance of freedom and safety of navigation and overflight, and the peaceful resolution of disputes on the basis of respect for international law, especially the United Nations Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The General Secretary and President stated that an important outcome of the visit was the adoption of a Joint Statement outlining the orientations, objectives, principles, and key areas of cooperation in the coming period.
Both sides agreed to facilitate access for businesses from both countries to each other's markets and to enable them to participate more deeply in regional and global supply chains.
Leveraging its role as a gateway
President José Raúl Mulino stated that for Panama, expanding and diversifying international relations is crucial, and Panama considers Vietnam a key partner in Southeast Asia.
President José Raúl Mulino expressed Panama's desire to become a gateway for Vietnam's industrial and export capabilities to access the Latin American and Caribbean region; and hoped that Vietnamese businesses would leverage their advantages to establish a presence in Panama and expand into regional markets.
The two sides also discussed agriculture , connectivity, tourism, maritime cooperation, and other areas where the two countries have complementary capabilities; they expressed a desire for better conditions to enable businesses and manufacturers to find new markets and overcome the obstacle of the significant geographical distance between the two countries.
The President emphasized that the two sides had signed agreements on security, maritime transport, and agriculture on this occasion. The task ahead is to strive to translate those agreements into concrete projects and results.
President José Raúl Mulino emphasized that Panama wants to get even closer to Vietnam, expand its presence in Asia, and create new opportunities for trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
The cooperation documents include:
- Agreement on Cooperation in Maritime Transport between the Government of Vietnam and the Government of Panama;
- Agreement on Cooperation in Combating Transnational Crime;
- Memorandum of Understanding on Agricultural Cooperation;
Memorandum of Understanding between the Vietnam National Tourism Administration and the Panamanian Tourism Authority on tourism cooperation;
- Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between Customs Agencies;
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam and the Civil Aviation Authority of Panama;
- Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the two Diplomatic Academies;
- Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between Vietnam Maritime University and the International Maritime University of Panama;
- Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VASS) and the Panamanian Institute for Agricultural Innovation (IDIAP).
Source: https://tienphong.vn/viet-nam-va-panama-ky-hiep-dinh-hop-tac-van-tai-bien-post1882819.tpo
