DILI, 26 February 2025 (TATOLI) – The President of the Republic, Jose Ramos Horta on Tuesday held bilateral talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, on the sidelines of the 2nd ASEAN Future Forum in Hanoi.
During the meeting, both leaders reaffirmed their mutual political trust and discussed ways to enhance economic relations between the two countries, with the strengthening of bilateral ties being a priority for Timor-Leste in the context of its growing regional integration.
Vietnam’s Prime Minister welcomed President Ramos-Horta and highlighted important agreements already established, such as visa exemptions, while proposing labor certificates to facilitate Timorese workforce mobility.
Prime Minister Chính suggested that Timor-Leste should strengthen its sovereign fund to ensure more effective and sustainable management of economic resources.
The discussions also covered potential areas of cooperation, including Vietnam-led financial centers focused on innovation, food security, and Vietnamese expertise in rice production that could contribute to the development of Timor-Leste’s agricultural sector.
President Horta reiterated that Timor-Leste has made significant progress in fulfilling the ASEAN membership roadmap over the past two years and expressed his expectation to host the Vietnamese Prime Minister in Timor-Leste later this year, during which new agreements are expected to be signed to strengthen economic and trade relations.
Horta praised Vietnam’s achievements and highlighted its position as a regional power with good diplomatic relations worldwide.
While emphasizing the good management of Timor-Leste’s sovereign fund, the Head of State underlined the need to diversify investments to ensure greater security and economic profitability.
With Vietnam being an attractive destination for investments, the President suggested the possibility of using the Timorese sovereign fund for investments in the country and proposed sending a Vietnamese delegation to Timor-Leste to discuss partnerships in strategic sectors such as oil and gas, as well as the establishment of financial centers. The bilateral meeting reinforced the ties between Timor-Leste and Vietnam, signaling a future of closer cooperation on various fronts.
TATOLI
