Finland considers Vietnam as the most important economic partner within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and wishes to strengthen collaboration to maximize the great potential between the two countries, Halla-aho said at a meeting on Monday with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

He also commented that Finland is implementing a talent promotion program, and expressed the country’s willingness to welcome highly qualified workers and students from Vietnam.

Minh Chinh and Halla-aho agreed to highlight what they considered positive advances in bilateral multifaceted cooperation and agreed to expedite the exchange of delegations at all levels, as well as to strengthen coordination in multilateral forums for stability, peace and sustainable development.

The officials also spoke of making the most of the benefits provided by the Vietnam-European Union Free Trade Agreement, especially in potential fields such as high technology, ecological development, environment, agriculture, forestry, and information technology.

The Vietnamese Prime Minister, for his part, suggested that Halla-aho stimulate the approval of the Investment Protection Agreement between the bloc and Vietnam by the parliaments of the member states of the European Union.

He also urged the Finnish Parliament to support the lifting of the yellow card against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing applied by the European Commission to Vietnamese aquatic products, which hinders their exports.

llp/lam/mpm