Vietnam seeks to strengthen ties with Finland

As a bridge for Finland to intensify cooperation with ASEAN and for Vietnam to expand comprehensive cooperation with the EU, the Vietnam-Finland friendship and multifaceted relations would be further advanced.

Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue and Speaker of the Finnish Parliament Jussie Halla-aho. Source: quochoi.vn

Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue made the remarks at a meeting today [March 25 ] with the Speaker of the Finnish Parliament Jussie Halla-aho, who is currently on a visit to Vietnam from March 24-26.

Emphasizing that this visit by the Speaker of the Finnish Parliament is the first in 14 years, Hue expressed confidence that this visit will be a significant milestone in the bilateral relationship. Speaker Jussie Halla-aho was delighted at paying an official visit to Vietnam, noting that in 2023, when the two countries commemorated 50 years of diplomatic relations, Finland welcomed many high-level delegations from Vietnam.

Speaker Jussi Halla-aho expressed his pleasure that the two countries have shifted from development aid to development cooperation, promoting mutually beneficial trade cooperation. He viewed this as a positive development in bilateral relations and emphasized the importance of Vietnam as one of Finland's key trading partners in ASEAN.

Over the past 50 years, bilateral trade between the two countries has seen significant growth. Speaker Jussi Halla-aho noted that the Finnish Parliament has approved the European Union-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). Additionally, Finland has an investment protection agreement with Vietnam. He highlighted the potential for further cooperation, particularly in the energy, information technology, and education sectors.

Hue affirmed that Vietnam values the development of its traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Finland. He expressed his satisfaction with the positive development of bilateral cooperation, especially in political-diplomatic, economic-trade, development cooperation, and education-training fields.

He praised the effective cooperation and mutual support between the two countries in multilateral forums, especially at the United Nations. He thanked Finland for its continued support in strengthening Vietnam's comprehensive cooperation with the European Union (EU).

Vietnam is willing to act as a bridge for Finland to strengthen its relations with ASEAN. He noted that relevant agencies of both countries will closely coordinate to maximize the benefits of the EVFTA agreement and enhance trade and investment connections.

According to Hue, the bilateral trade volume reached nearly US$380 million in 2023, which is modest compared to its potential. He reiterated Vietnam's willingness to facilitate and promote trade cooperation and hoped that Finland would continue to create favorable conditions for Vietnam's key exports to the Finnish market (iron and steel products, machinery, transportation equipment and parts, textiles, footwear, and related materials).

Hue thanked the Finnish Parliament for approving the EVIPA and hoped that Finland would continue to influence other EU parliaments to expedite the ratification of this agreement.

According to Hue, the EVIPA will create new cooperation opportunities for the business communities of both countries, especially in potential areas such as green economy, digital transformation, high technology, telecommunications, renewable energy, environment, water treatment, forestry technology, information technology-communication, smart cities.

He also called on Finland to promote the lifting of the European Commission (EC)'s yellow card on Vietnamese seafood exports, thereby supporting Vietnam's socio-economic development, while providing European consumers with access to quality seafood at competitive prices.

Vietnam has enacted a series of laws, including those on controlling and combating illegal fishing,  for Vietnam's practical interests, for sustainable development, and to fulfill commitments made at COP26, Hue said.

Overview of the meeting.

Vietnam a priority in Finland’s Talent Promotion program

Recognizing that the number of Vietnamese students in Finland is considerable and represents an important human resource for Vietnam's development goals, Hue hoped Finland would further promote cooperation between the two countries in this field, help train Vietnamese human resources in innovation and entrepreneurship, support experts in primary education programs, and cooperation in the field of labor (information technology, healthcare, education, agriculture, among others).

Agreeing with Hue on promoting educational cooperation between the two countries, the Speaker of the Finnish Parliament stated that Vietnam has been chosen as a priority country in Finland's talent promotion program.

With over 2,000 Vietnamese students studying in Finland, the largest number of foreign students in Finland, and over 10,000 Vietnamese residing in Finland, the community is highly valued for their diligence, hard work, and sincerity.

The Speaker of the Finnish Parliament expressed the wish for cooperation between the University of Law in Hanoi and the University of Helsinki, which Finland hopes will soon be implemented.

During the talks, the two sides exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual interest. Hue stated that the world situation is complex and unpredictable but emphasized that peace and stability remain the prevailing trends. Vietnam pursues an independent, self-reliant, diversified, and multilateral foreign policy, being a reliable partner committed to peace, cooperation, and development.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the Speaker Jussi Halla-aho.

Both sides also discussed the situation in the East Sea. Chinh reiterated Vietnam's consistent stance on advocating for the peaceful settlement of disputes, respecting international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight, and promoting maritime security and safety.

Finland affirmed its support for Vietnam's position and stressed the importance of upholding the principles of international law in maintaining peace, stability, and security in the region.

Both sides agreed to continue promoting dialogue, cooperation, and confidence-building measures to peacefully resolve disputes and contribute to regional peace, stability, and development.