Vietnam ready to strengthen BRICS connection with Asia-Pacific

Vietnam stands ready to contribute to promoting dialogue and cooperation between BRICS and the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in areas such as supply chains and development finance, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang said at a discussion session on May 15 as part of the expanded BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in India.

Hang stressed that the increasingly complex international situation has highlighted the urgent need to reform and strengthen multilateral institutions and the global governance system so they are capable of upholding the fundamental principles of international law and the United Nations Charter, while also responding effectively to conflicts and their adverse impacts on trade, energy, supply chains and global growth, particularly in developing countries.

According to the Vietnamese Deputy FM, these institutions must also keep pace with rapid advances in science, technology and innovation, especially in the field of artificial intelligence.

In this spirit, Hang called on countries to act responsibly in accordance with international law and the UN Charter; respect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of states; refrain from using or threatening to use force; and settle disputes peacefully through dialogue. She also underscored the importance of ensuring security, safety and freedom of navigation through straits in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The official proposed BRICS strengthen South-South cooperation and enhance North-South dialogue in shaping global governance structures, with priority given to ensuring developing nations have fair access to financial resources, technology and knowledge.

Participating countries also called for reforms to international financial structures, stronger resilience to economic challenges, enhanced food, energy and supply chain security, and the reinforcement of an open, fair and rules-based multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at its core.

The meeting reaffirmed BRICS’s role in promoting dialogue, cooperation and the voice of Global South countries, with the aim of building a fairer and more inclusive world order.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Hang and heads of delegations paid a courtesy call on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At the meeting, the Vietnamese official urged PM Modi to direct relevant Indian agencies to work closely with Vietnam to promptly and effectively implement the key outcomes of Party General Secretary and State President To Lam's recent state visit to India.

For his part, PM Modi highly appreciated the results of the recent India visit by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam, describing it as strategically significant and opening a new era in bilateral cooperation. To realise these expectations, he stressed the importance of effectively implementing the signed commitments and agreements, and called on the foreign ministries of both countries to coordinate closely in monitoring and advancing implementation efforts.

On the occasion, Hang also held bilateral meetings with Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Ugandan Minister of Foreign Affairs Odongo Jeje Abubakhar, Belarusian First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lukashevich, Saudi Arabian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Bin Abdulkarm El Kheiji, Permanent Secretary of the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dunoma Umar Ahmed, and UAE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar.

At the meetings, the officials congratulated Vietnam on its economic achievements and agreed on the need to strengthen cooperation in investment, trade, finance, education and training, as well as science and technology, in order to maximise shared opportunities and contribute to the development of each country.

The sides also agreed to review and effectively implement existing cooperation agreements reached during high-level exchanges, while facilitating business connectivity and expanding collaboration to further deepen Vietnam’s relations with these partner countries./.