PRESIDENTS OF MONGOLIA AND VIETNAM HOLD OFFICIAL TALKS
President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Secretary-General of the ruling party To Lam held official talks at the State Palace of Mongolia on September 30, 2024.
The official talks were held in a warm and business-like atmosphere. The two parties exchanged views on ways to expand and strengthen bilateral relations between Mongolia and Vietnam and a broad range of issues, including cooperation in political, defense, transportation, logistics, agriculture, education, culture, and tourism sectors and cooperation in international and regional fora.
At the outset of the official talks, President Khurelsukh expressed confidence that the State Visit, taking place in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and Vietnam, would elevate the traditionally friendly relations between the two countries based on “Principles of Friendly Cooperation” and consolidate the friendship between the peoples of the two countries.
President To Lam extended heartfelt gratitude to the State, Government, and people of Mongolia for their hospitality and warm welcome extended to the Vietnamese delegation. The President of Vietnam noted that despite the geographical distance, the two countries withstood the tests of time to the point that today the two countries are proudly celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
The two sides underscored that the State Visit by President To Lam to Mongolia would further consolidate and advance the achievements to date and highlighted that the declaration of elevating bilateral relations to a “Comprehensive Partnership” is a significant event etched in the history of relations between Mongolia and Vietnam.
President To Lam emphasized the vast opportunities for developing mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries and noted that the two countries have ample opportunities to promote bilateral trade, building upon the advantages of the two economies. This includes the possibility of exporting seafood products from Vietnam to Mongolia and importing meat and meat products from Mongolia to Vietnam.
President Khurelsukh underlined that the Agreement on Visa Exemption signed between Mongolia and Vietnam in 2023 created favorable conditions for increasing the flow of travel of citizens and expressed Mongolia’s commitment to expanding aviation relations, launching direct flights for passengers and cargo between the two countries.
The two Heads of State agreed to work closely on establishing a joint venture utilizing advanced technology and broadening and enhancing cooperation in agriculture and animal husbandry by studying the possibility of producing final value-added agricultural products under Mongolia’s “Food Supply and Security” National Campaign, with a goal of making it a cornerstone of Mongolia-Vietnam cooperation.
President To Lam expressed support for Mongolia’s proposal to supply a workforce to the labor market and emphasized the potential to accelerate cooperation for a better future and prepare a skilled workforce in the information and technology sector.
The two Presidents agreed to foster cooperation between the two countries in education, culture, and sports, and share best practices in sports, in which Mongolia records success, particularly archery, freestyle wrestling, and judo. Also, the two sides agreed to conduct joint sports training, develop Mongolia and Vietnam studies, and increase student exchange.
Furthermore, the two Heads of State agreed to return the Mongolian horses in service at the Cavalry Mobile Police Corps under the Mobile Police Command of Vietnam, a symbol of cooperation between the two countries, back to Mongolia.
The two sides commended the close cooperation between Mongolia and Vietnam within international and regional organizations. The Vietnamese side reaffirmed its commitment to continue to support Mongolia’s bid to become an ASEAN Dialogue Partner and participate in the operations of APEC. Also, the Vietnamese side confirmed its participation at the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, to be held in Ulaanbaatar in 2026.
The two Heads of State agreed to conduct studies on finding tree species suitable for planting in Mongolian soil under Mongolia’s “One Billion Trees” National Campaign and closely cooperate in contributing to the global effort of protecting the environment, preventing climate change, and combating desertification.
President To Lam announced that the Government of Vietnam would provide USD 500 thousand in humanitarian aid to support Mongolian herders affected by the dzud natural disaster.
As the outcome of the official talks, the two sides signed a Joint Declaration on Establishing a Comprehensive Partnership between Mongolia and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and several agreements to strengthen the legal framework of bilateral relations.
