Riyadh, October 30, 2024 – The Europe Today: Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính held a meeting with Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Riyadh on Tuesday, local time, during his visit to attend the eighth Future Investment Initiative (FII) Summit.
During their discussions, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman highlighted Vietnam’s role as a dynamic economy in Asia, emphasizing that its participation brings new opportunities for investors and significantly contributes to the success of the FII Summit and regional development strategies.
Prime Minister Chính conveyed his congratulations on Saudi Arabia’s recent achievements and extended greetings from key Vietnamese leaders, including Party General Secretary Tô Lâm, State President Lương Cường, and National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn, to King Salman bin Abdulaziz. He also extended an invitation for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to visit Vietnam at a convenient time.
The Crown Prince expressed gratitude for the well-wishes from Vietnamese leaders and affirmed his intention to visit Vietnam in the near future. Both leaders acknowledged the remarkable progress in Vietnam-Saudi Arabia relations over the past 25 years and committed to further enhancing the bilateral relationship through close cooperation.
They agreed to strengthen exchanges at all levels, particularly through high-level meetings in bilateral and multilateral forums. The leaders pledged to prioritize economic cooperation as a cornerstone of their relationship, aiming to position Saudi Arabia as a top investor in Vietnam and to increase bilateral trade to over USD 10 billion by 2030.
The discussions also highlighted “future cooperation” pillars, including innovation, green transformation, and digital transformation. Education, tourism, labor, and people-to-people exchanges were identified as solid foundations for the bilateral relationship, with both sides committing to closely coordinate and support each other on regional and global issues at international forums, particularly at the United Nations.
Prime Minister Chính urged Saudi Arabia to invest in strategic and breakthrough projects in Vietnam, including the establishment of a transit and storage center for crude oil and petrochemical products for export to Southeast Asian markets. He also called for collaboration on developing Vietnam’s Halal industry, considering it a key task.
The Prime Minister proposed connecting the innovation centers of both countries, organizing international technology exhibitions, and sharing experiences in building an international financial center in Ho Chi Minh City. The Crown Prince agreed with these proposals and suggested that both sides direct their ministries and sectors to continue discussions to concretize cooperation initiatives and maximize bilateral cooperation potential.
Furthermore, Prime Minister Chính requested Saudi Arabia to create favorable conditions for the Vietnamese community to integrate into the local society and actively contribute to the development of Saudi Arabia, which the Crown Prince affirmed.
Following their talks, Prime Minister Chính assigned members of his delegation to engage with Saudi partners on measures to implement the outcomes of his discussions with the Saudi Arabian leader.
