An official ceremony was held at the Akorda presidential
palace to welcome General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central
Committee Tô Lâm, who arrived in Kazakhstan for a state visit.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called Lâm’s first visit to
Astana a vivid confirmation of the strong friendship between the countries.
«Vietnam is an important partner of Kazakhstan in Asia, and
our aspirations for prosperity are largely aligned. Two years ago, during my
official visit to Vietnam, we agreed to develop new areas of bilateral
cooperation. I am confident that the friendly ties between our nations will
continue to strengthen. We are always ready to make efforts to achieve common
goals and address shared challenges,» Tokayev said.
Lâm expressed his gratitude for the hospitality in
Kazakhstan and voiced confidence that the outcomes of the talks would further
expand the horizons of relations between Kazakhstan and Vietnam.
«The fact that our delegation has decided to visit your
country just two years after your visit to Vietnam demonstrates the active
development of cooperation between our two countries, as well as a high level
of mutual trust. Kazakhstan will become Vietnam’s first strategic partner in
Central Asia,» Lâm said.
The focus of the talks in the expanded format was on
increasing mutual trade volume. Last year, trade turnover between Kazakhstan
and Vietnam reached $860 million. The two sides aim to boost this figure to $2
billion in the near future. There are also significant prospects in the tourism
sector. Currently, both countries have a visa-free regime, and over 40 direct
flights connect them. Tokayev suggested exploring Kazakh destinations that
could be of interest to Vietnamese citizens.
«Currently, trade, economic, and investment cooperation
between Kazakhstan and Vietnam is developing rapidly. In a short time, we have
successfully implemented a number of large projects. All the conditions are in
place for further expansion of mutually beneficial ties. The documents signed
during this historic visit will provide new impetus to strengthening
Kazakh-Vietnamese relations,» Tokayev added.
«Vietnam and Kazakhstan have maintained close relations for
decades. In August 1959, our President Ho Chi Minh paid an official visit to
Kazakhstan, laying a solid foundation for traditional friendship and
long-standing cooperation. The Party and the people of Vietnam will always be
grateful for the support Kazakhstan extended to our country in the past during
the struggle for national liberation, as well as the support it continues to
offer today in our development efforts,» Lâm added.
Following the talks, Tokayev and Lâm adopted a joint
statement on the establishment of a Strategic Partnership between Kazakhstan
and Vietnam. Eight documents were also signed, covering cooperation in the
fields of technology, innovation, culture, sports, justice, and geological
exploration. An agreement was also signed on cooperation between the Kazakh
President’s TV and Radio Complex and the Vietnam News Agency. In addition, the
Kyzylorda region and Hung Yen Province became sister regions. Tokayev awarded Lâm
the Dostyk Order of the first degree.
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