(Photo: Vietnam Government Portal)
Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of Vietnam, together with his spouse and delegation paid official visits to the capital cities of Norway and Sweden which took place on May 24 – 28, 2019 as a part of completing the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement.
On May 24, PM Phuc and his spouse were welcomed by State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Marianne Hagen and Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam Grete Løchen at Gardermoen Airport, Oslo, Norway.
PM Phuc started his visit to Norway with the meeting with Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg. They discussed ideas on bilateral relations between Vietnam and Norway in fields such as forestry, environmental protection, fisheries, aquaculture, renewable energy, LNG, maritime transport and shipbuilding. They both expressed their acknowledgment of the long-term cooperation between two nations that has been fostered for more than four decades. The two PMs also agreed to take part in speeding up a free trade deal between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association, in which Norway is a coordinator.
(Photo: Vietnam Government Portal)
Later, PM Phuc paid a courtesy visit to King Harald V of Norway. PM Phuc mentioned about all supports and achievements that Vietnam received from Norway. In response to that, King Harald affirmed that the Norwegian royal family always intends to support the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
On May 25, the last day of Norway visit, PM Phuc visited the Embassy of Vietnam in Oslo to meet with Vietnamese expats in Norway. He gave Vietnamese associations a compliment about activities and events that were organized to promote the tie among Vietnamese people in the Northern European country.
After the visit to Norway, PM Phuc set off his visit to Sweden on May 26 at Arlanda airport, Stockholm where he received a nice welcome by Trade Minister of Sweden Ann Linde and the Ambassador of Sweden to Vietnam Pereric Högberg.
As part of the program, PM Phuc met with Swedish counterpart Stefan Löfven who agreed with him to assist in accelerating the signing of the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and the EU – Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement in the approaching weeks.
PM Phuc also paid a courtesy call to King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden and met Speaker of the Swedish Parliament Andreas Norlen.
Source: VNA/VNP
