Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan holds talks with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. Photo: VNA   

Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan held talks with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze in Tbilisi on October 12, as part of her official visit to Georgia, focusing on measures to strengthen bilateral ties and expand cooperation in areas of shared interest.

Kobakhidze welcomed Xuan and the Vietnamese delegation, expressing his confidence that the visit would provide fresh impetus for the traditional friendship between the two countries.

He praised bilateral cooperation in recent years, particularly in politics, diplomacy, trade, investment and tourism, and congratulated Vietnam on its socio-economic achievements.

Georgia attaches great importance to relations with Vietnam, the PM said, adding that the two nations share common grounds and show complementary strengths.

Located between Europe and Asia, he said Georgia seeks to strengthen its role as a regional transport and transit hub and is investing heavily in railway and maritime infrastructure. He expressed his hope that the two countries would improve connectivity and expand economic ties.

Bilateral trade has increased sixfold over the past five years, and the Georgian Government is working to create a favourable and transparent investment environment to attract more Vietnamese businesses, he noted.

Tourism cooperation has also grown strongly. The number of Vietnamese visitors to Georgia rose 41% in the first half of 2026, he said, hoping that the two countries would soon establish direct air links.

The host also highlighted opportunities for educational cooperation as Georgia boasts many prestigious, long-established universities that have ever welcomed Vietnamese students.

For her part, Xuan thanked the Georgian Government and people for their warm and cordial reception, affirming that Vietnam valued its traditional friendship with Georgia and wished to develop bilateral relations in a deeper, more substantive and effective manner.

She congratulated Georgia on its recent achievements and called for stronger bilateral exchange mechanisms, more visits at all levels and through different channels, and a review and improvement of the legal framework to facilitate cooperation in areas where both sides have strengths and share needs.

The Vice President called on Georgia to further facilitate access for Vietnamese goods to its market and encouraged businesses from both countries to explore investment and cooperation opportunities.

She highlighted tourism, culture, education and training, as well as areas where Vietnam has considerable experience, including agriculture, agro-processing, infrastructure development and innovation.

She also stressed the importance of improving air connectivity and promoting people-to-people and cultural-culinary exchanges to deepen mutual understanding.

Both sides agreed that Vietnam-Georgia relations see new opportunities for growth and should be developed in a practical and effective manner that serve the interests and potential of both countries. They pledged to continue coordinating and supporting each other at multilateral organisations and forums, particularly the United Nations and regional cooperation mechanisms, while strengthening defence and security cooperation, especially in dealing with non-traditional security challenges.

Vietnam is ready to serve as a bridge for Georgia to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN member states, Xuan said. She welcomed Georgia’s efforts to expand ties with ASEAN and Southeast Asian countries and called for closer economic connectivity, broader market access, stronger business links and interregional cooperation projects.

Kobakhidze expressed Georgia’s desire to develop comprehensive relations with Vietnam and ASEAN as well as its readiness to help promote Vietnam’s ties with Central Asian, Caucasus and European countries.

Welcoming the signing of cooperation documents during the visit, including the MoUs signed between the two foreign ministries and between Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and Georgia’s Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, the two leaders described them as practical steps towards creating a favourable framework for expanding bilateral ties.

They tasked relevant ministries and agencies with expediting negotiations on other important agreements to promote trade, investment, tourism and people-to-people exchanges. These include agreements on investment promotion and protection, double taxation avoidance, and visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders.

Xuan called on the two countries' relevant agencies to coordinate closely in organising meaningful activities to mark the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027. She also expressed her hope that Kobakhidze would visit Vietnam on the occasion. The Georgian PM thanked her for the invitation and said he expects to visit Vietnam soon to discuss further measures to promote bilateral cooperation./.