Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and visiting Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta on August 2 agreed to enhance cooperation between the two countries in various areas.

Lauding the Timor-Leste President’s second visit to Vietnam, PM Chinh said it has contributed to consolidating political trust and creating new momentum for the bilateral ties in the time ahead.

The host leader congratulated Timor-Leste on its achievements in national construction and development, and its nearing the full membership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and expressed his belief that the country will soon materialise its national development plan for 2011-2030, and integrate into the world more intensively and extensively.

President Ramos-Horta noted his admiration for Vietnam and its people, calling the country a model in healing war wounds, national construction and economic development.

He used this occasion to thank Vietnam for supporting Timor-Leste in national construction and development, and its ASEAN integration process.

The two leaders highly evaluated the positive development of the bilateral cooperation and friendship, notably the two-way trade growing nearly 30% in the first five months of this year to more than 6 million USD.

They agreed to intensify political trust through all-level meetings, effectively implement high-level agreements, continue pushing ahead with the perfection of legal frameworks to facilitate the bilateral cooperation, and optimise their substantial cooperation potential.

PM Chinh said rice remains a key product of the bilateral trade, and suggested the two sides soon extend or sign a new memorandum of understanding on rice trade, contributing to ensuring food security.

He also encouraged Timor-Leste to increase the import of Vietnamese goods that suit the needs and tastes of Timor Leste consumers such as textiles-garments, footwear, beverages, dairy products, processed food, and agricultural and aquatic products.

The PM suggested Timor-Leste soon handle obstacles to the operation of Vietnamese enterprises in the country, and create more optimal conditions for them to expand business, especially in telecoms, digital services, and oil and gas exploitation.

The President said he backs PM Chinh’s proposals, and hopes that Vietnam will help the country in such areas as agriculture, food security, infrastructure, education-training, human resources development, health care, and poverty reduction, while increasing investments there. He pledged to facilitate the operation of Vietnamese firms in Timor-Leste.

The two leaders consented to step up collaboration in other important spheres, including national defence-security, information and communications, and education-training; to utilise new trends like green economy, clean energy, and innovation; and to promote exchanges between residents through tourism and culture.

Regarding regional and international issues, they concurred to maintain coordination and mutual support at multilateral organisations.

The PM lauded Timor-Leste’s resolve and effort in implementing “the Roadmap for Timor-Leste's full ASEAN membership”, and affirmed Vietnam’s consistent support for the country in this regard.

President Ramos-Horta also said Timor-Leste stands ready to back Vietnam’s candidacy for posts at all multilateral, regional and international mechanisms and organisations.

The two sides committed to continuing their support for ASEAN’s principled stance on the East Sea, efforts in maintaining peace, stability, security and safety of aviation and overflight in the East Sea, the settlement of disputes through peaceful measures on the basis of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), creating an environment conducive to negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), for peace, stability and development in the region.

President Ramos-H꧙orta said he hopes to welcome PM Chinh to visit Timor-Leste. The PM thanked the President, saying the visit will be arranged at an appropriate time./.