Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Romanian Prime Minister Ion-Marcel Ciolacu talk to the press. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

At a joint press conference after talks with his Romanian counterpart Ion-Marcel Ciolacu in Bucharest on Monday, Prime Minister Chinh said the two sides agreed on orientations and measures to boost cooperation and exchanges on regional and global issues of mutual concern.

Bilateral cooperation in education-training, culture, and cooperation between localities continue to develop well, PM Chinh said, adding that close coordination and mutual support of the two sides at multilateral forums, international and inter-regional organizations, have contributed to peace, security and development.

Romania has played an active role in signing the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and is one of the first EU countries to ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

Mr. Chinh said he hopes that Prime Minister Ciolacu and other senior Romanian leaders will soon visit Vietnam. He stressed the need to further bilateral cooperation mechanisms, especially the Intergovernmental Committee on Economic Cooperation between Vietnam and Romania and continue to fully and effectively implement the EVFTA and the EVIPA.

Prime Minister Chinh said the two sides agreed to continue to coordinate closely and effectively at the UN, EU and ASEAN to jointly address regional and global challenges. He added that on the East Sea issue, both sides agreed to support the resolution of disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law.

The two Prime Ministers say they just had successful talks. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

The Romanian Prime Minister said it’s high time to bring the two countries' relations to a new level. Romania will act as a bridge between Vietnam and the European Union and Vietnam will act as a bridge between Romania and Southeast Asian countries. The two countries strive to raise two-way trade value to 1 billion USD in the coming years.

Romania wants to cooperate with Vietnam to produce African swine fever vaccine in Romania to supply to the domestic market and Europe, said Mr. Ciolacu.

Earlier, the two PMs witnessed the signing and exchanging of 19 cooperation documents between ministries and agencies of Vietnam and Romania as well as 15 cooperation agreements and memoranda of cooperation between academies and universities of the two countries.