Vietnamese Ambassador presents credentials to Swiss President

ABO/VNA – Vietnamese Ambassador to Switzerland Le Linh Lan presented her credentials to President of Switzerland Ueli Maurer in the Swiss capital city of Bern on April 9.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Switzerland Le Linh Lan (second from right) and President of Switzerland Ueli Maurer (Source: VNA)

Speaking at the reception hosted by the Swiss President, Lan expressed her honour to assume the position at a time when Vietnam – Switzerland ties are growing.

Both sides regularly exchanged high-level visits within bilateral and multilateral frameworks, and conducted regular political consultations and annual human rights dialogues.

Two-way trade is nearing 1.5 billion USD with many Swiss firms operating effectively in Vietnam with a total investment of 2 billion USD, making Switzerland the fourth largest European investor in the country.

Vietnam is one of the two priority countries in Asia in Switzerland’s economic development policy. The European country’s opening of a Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City and a direct air route to Vietnam in 2018 is a specific manifestation of the dynamic development of bilateral ties, she said.

Vietnam hopes to continue receiving support and cooperation from Switzerland to bring the bilateral relations to a new height, the diplomat said.

She voiced her hope that during her term, the two countries will push up high-level visits and exchanges, complete negotiations and sign the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), as well as sign cooperation deals in education and vocational training.

The two nations should closely cooperate in the implementation of Swiss official development assistance (ODA) projects in Vietnam and the organisation of activities celebrating the 50th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2021, Lan added.

On the occasion, the diplomat conveyed the invitation of General Secretary of Communist Party of Vietnam and President Nguyen Phu Trong to the Swiss President to visit Vietnam in 2021.

Welcoming the diplomat’s assumption of her new post in Switzerland, President Maurer shared his and his family’s sentiment towards Vietnam, noting that the Southeast Asian nation holds an important role in his country’s foreign policy.

The two sides have had frequent high-level meetings within the framework of multilateral forums, including the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos earlier this year. In 2019, head of the Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research Guy Parmelin is scheduled to visit Vietnam to enhance the countries’ economic and trade ties, he said.

The President noted that with many similarities in orientations and measures for strengthening bilateral relations, Switzerland hopes that the two countries will organise mutual high-ranking visits on the 50th founding anniversary of their diplomatic ties.

The leader affirmed that he and the Federal Council of Switzerland always support and will continue cooperating closely with Vietnam to intensify relations between the two countries.

(Source: VNA)