Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam always attaches importance to and wishes to promote friendship and win-win multi-faceted cooperation with nations that are its traditional friends, including Uzbekistan, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang told her Uzbek counterpart Ilkhom Khaydarov during their phone talks on January 7.

The Vietnamese official highlighted the fruitful development of political and diplomatic relations between the two countries in the recent past, with many all-level exchange activities, especially the meeting between Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the occasion of the expanded BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024.

Economic and trade cooperation has also recorded impressive strides, with average annual growth of 30%. Bilateral trade exceeded 160 million USD in 2023, and continued to maintain its upward trend in 2024.

Khaydarov, for his part, expressed joy at the development of bilateral ties, saying that his country stands ready to work with Vietnam to explore ways and measures to further deepen the traditional friendship and all-around cooperation.

He hoped that Vietnam will share its experiences with Uzbekistan in economic development and successes in specific fields.

The two officials agreed on the need to maintain meetings and delegation exchanges at all levels, especially high level, to further strengthen political trust, laying the foundation to promote cooperation in areas matching their countries' strengths and potential, particularly trade, investment, tourism, transport, education - training, and science - technology.

Vietnam is willing to serve as a bridge to enhance relations between Uzbekistan and ASEAN, while Uzbekistan will work to help strengthen links between Vietnam and Central Asian countries.

The two sides will continue to closely coordinate and support each other at multilateral forums and international organisations, thereby contributing to peace, stability, security, and development in the region and the world, according to the Deputy FMs.

Regarding cooperation between the foreign ministries, Hang suggested them uphold their role in connecting, promoting, and supporting ministries, sectors, localities, and businesses of the two countries to increase exchanges, explore each other's markets, and establish direct partnerships, towards bolstering bilateral relations in a substantive and effective manner.

She recommended both sides quickly reach an agreement on visa exemption for each other's citizens to foster tourism and people-to-people exchanges, thereby helping enhance the long-standing friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Uzbekistan.

Agreeing with Hang’s proposals, Khaydarov expressed his hope that the two sides will consider opening State and business offices and representative agencies in each other's territories to directly support and promote economic development in each country.

He took the occasion to invite the Vietnamese official to visit Uzbekistan at a suitable point o꧃f time to conduct a political consultation In response, Hang appreciated the invitation and voiced her hope to pay a visit in the neaꦏr furture to directly discuss the reinforcement of bilateral ties with leaders of the Uzbek Foreign Ministry./.