Qatari Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani pays a courtesy call to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 15. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA)– Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh suggested Qatar step up investment cooperationwith Vietnam in infrastructure development, oil, renewable energy, greentechnology and digital transformation while hosting visiting Qatari Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani onAugust 15.

Chinh highly spoke ofthe progress the two countries have made in their multifaceted partnership andactive mutual support at multilateral forums. Congratulating Qatar on the signing of the instrument of accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) of ASEAN, the PM said Vietnam backs aclose, effective and comprehensive cooperation between ASEAN and Qatar.

To further boostVietnam-Qatar ties, he said they should increase delegation exchanges and beef uppeople-to-people and cultural exchanges. He proposed the two countries facilitate broader access to each other’s markets and asked Qatar to help promote theHalal industry in Vietnam.

He also urged Qatar toprovide ODA funding for infrastructure and agricultural projects in Vietnam, adding the two sides should coordinate in effectively enforcing a bilateral agreement on labourcooperation.

Vietnam welcomesQatar’s capital ventures and enterprises to explore investment opportunities in the country and wants to receive more tourist arrivals from Qatar, given that Vietnam hasfully reopened its borders with no travel restrictions for foreign visitors inplace, Chinh said.

He expected the twosides to push for a number of agreements for enhanced cooperation in maritime,customs, justice, security, culture and tourism.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, for his part, emphasised that Qatarattaches importance to developing bilateral relations with Vietnam as it sees the country as a gateway to ASEAN markets. Qatar’s public investment fund hasinvested hundreds of millions of USD into the Vietnamese market, he said.

Highlighting Vietnamas an attractive destination for investors and tourists from Qatar, he saidthere is plenty of room for the two nations to ramp up ties in trade,investment, energy and tourism.

He agreed with PM Chinh’ssuggestions, saying he will closely work with the Vietnamese Ministry ofForeign Affairs and Qatar’s ministries and enterprises to realise them.

Priority will be givento strengthening co⛄llaboration between the Qatar public investment fund and theState Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC) and accelerating talks on abilateral free trade deal and an agreement on visa waivers for ordinarypassport holders to deepen ties, he said./.