Hanoi:Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino has described Vietnam as a leading important partner in Southeast Asia and expressed a desire to deepen comprehensive cooperation, particularly in the areas of economy, trade, and investment. This statement was made during a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung in Hanoi.

According to Vietnam News Agency, Prime Minister Hung emphasized the significance of President Mulino's visit, marking a pivotal moment in the bilateral relations between the two countries. He highlighted the positive developments in their friendship and cooperation, noting shared interests and potential, especially in economic matters.

Prime Minister Hung proposed that both governments focus on implementing high-level agreements effectively. He suggested promoting exchanges at all levels, strengthening diplomatic missions, and utilizing existing cooperation mechanisms like the Joint Committee on Economic, Trade, and Investment Cooperation. He also pointed out the potential for Vietnam and Panama to act as gateways between Southeast Asia and Latin America.

President Mulino acknowledged Vietnam's impressive economic growth and expressed interest in learning from its development experience. He offered Panama's infrastructure and logistics systems to help Vietnam access markets in the Americas and invited Vietnamese investment in infrastructure projects and other sectors like agriculture, technology, and human resources training.

The leaders agreed to continue discussions on agreements related to air transport, investment, and security to create a favorable legal framework for cooperation. They also concurred on promoting cultural and educational exchanges to strengthen their long-standing friendship. President Mulino invited Prime Minister Hung to visit Panama, an invitation which was gratefully acknowledged.