On the afternoon of August 19, at the Government Headquarters, Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with King Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.
At the meeting, appreciating the positive development of bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2012 to present, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that Vietnam and Bhutan share many similarities in culture, economy and development goals, improving the material and spiritual life of the people; believing that the King's state visit to Vietnam will be a great success, creating new momentum for bilateral relations, in the context of rapid and complicated regional and international developments; suggesting that the two countries promote cooperation to both deal with common challenges of the region and the world.
The Prime Minister emphasized that Vietnam wishes to promote cooperation with Bhutan, suggesting that the two sides promote more regular high-level and all-level visits and contacts; considering the establishment of bilateral cooperation mechanisms; continuing to review and promote the signing of cooperation agreements, and emphasizing the need to promote connectivity between the two economies through promoting negotiations and signing of cooperation agreements on economy, trade, investment, creating conditions for goods between the two countries to access each other's markets.
Vietnam is ready to export Bhutanese goods in need and Vietnam has strengths such as food, foodstuffs, consumer goods, construction materials, electronic products, components and imports of Bhutanese goods, meeting the needs of the two countries.
The Prime Minister suggested that the two sides consider expanding security cooperation and combating cybercrime; promote cooperation in potential areas such as spiritual tourism, high-quality organic agriculture, traditional medicine; and soon establish direct flights to promote cultural exchanges and people-to-people exchanges.
King Bhutan Jigme highly appreciated Vietnam's endogenous strength in overcoming past difficulties and challenges, as well as in Vietnam's talented leadership, orientations, strategies and development goals today, especially in maintaining GDP growth momentum at a continuously high level; said that Vietnam is one of the few countries in the world with a successful development model.
The King of Bhutan expressed his agreement and gratitude for the Prime Minister's opinions on measures to promote bilateral relations, considering them very substantial proposals for the stronger development of cooperation between the two countries in the coming time.
The King sincerely shared the philosophy and vision of the Bhutanese leaders in developing his country; affirming that as a small country, Bhutan has set out its own development strategy, building a country with the goal of bringing happiness and prosperity to the people, protecting a clean environment, maintaining independence in the region and the world; Bhutan considers Vietnam a reliable and important partner in the region, committed to promoting cooperation with Vietnam in the coming time.
