Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has a phone conversation with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA

Talking by phone with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Wednesday, Prime Minister Chinh applauded Italy's listing Vietnam as prioritized country for cooperation in trade and investment after 2020. He pledged all favorable conditions for Italian enterprises to expand investment in Vietnam.

The Prime Minister asked Italy to soon ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), push the EU to remove the yellow card imposed on Vietnamese seafood, soon recognize vaccine passports and create favorable conditions for Vietnamese goods to access the market, especially agricultural products like mango, dragon fruit, and lychee.

Prime Minister Chinh also asked Italy, as an important member of the G7 and the EU, to assist Vietnam in accessing finance and technology to respond to climate change, digital transformation programs, green economy, and renewable energy, including support for the establishment of an Equitable Energy Transition partnership with Vietnam.

Prime Minister Draghi said that the Italian Government will push the Italian Parliament to soon ratify the EVIPA and affirmed Italian businesses’ wish to continue investing in Vietnam in renewable energy, infrastructure, water resource management, and innovation. The Italian Prime Minister also affirmed his willingness to support Vietnam in Equitable Energy Transition.

The two leaders discussed the East Sea issue and stressed the importance of settling disputes by peaceful means based on international law and UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh invited Prime Minister Mario Draghi to pay an official visit to Vietnam soon. The latter accepted with pleasure and invited Prime Minister Chinh to visit Italy at an appropriate time.