Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh shakes hands with President of the Swiss National Council (lower house) Martin Candinas. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA

At a meeting with President of the Swiss National Council (lower house) Martin Candinas in Hanoi on Friday, the Prime Minister said he hopes the House Speaker will encourage Swiss businesses to invest and do business in Vietnam, especially in areas where Switzerland has strengths and Vietnam has needs such as finance-banking, insurance, manufacturing industry, pharmaceuticals, agricultural product processing, renewable energy, and tourism services.

The Vietnamese government is committed to creating favorable conditions for Swiss businesses to expand their investment and long-term business in Vietnam, Mr. Chinh said. He called on Switzerland to strengthen its support for Vietnamese small and medium enterprises in technology, access to expertise, capacity building, technology transfer, industrial cooperation, and commercial opportunities.

The Prime Minister suggested that Switzerland with its say in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) continue to push for the early conclusion of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement with Vietnam. Vietnam is always ready to coordinate with Switzerland as well as other EFTA members to soon close the gap on the remaining issues between the two sides.

Martin Candinas said Vietnam has a strategic role in Switzerland's relations with Southeast Asia. Switzerland will continue to prioritize Vietnam in development assistance and human resource training. Switzerland is interested in and hopes both sides will sign the Vietnam-EFTA agreement next year.

He voiced his support for the stance of Vietnam and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on ensuring security, safety, freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, and resolving disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law.