Responding to a reporter's question, Hang said Vietnam and the four member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) issued a joint statement on July 2 announcing the conclusion of negotiations on the Vietnam-EFTA Free Trade Agreement after 14 years of talks.

The outcome demonstrated the strong efforts and determination of both sides to work toward the signing of the agreement.

Vietnam highly values the results achieved in the negotiations with the EFTA member states, Hang said, adding that the agreement will raise the total number of FTAs signed by Vietnam to 18 while further strengthening comprehensive links between Vietnam and Europe.

The country will continue working closely with the EFTA member states to sign the agreement as soon as possible and effectively implement its commitments, thereby promoting trade and investment and expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest, the official added.

Vietnam reports no citizens affected by recent natural disasters in China

Also at the routine press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said that Vietnam has not received any reports of its citizens being affected by recent heavy rainfall, flooding, tornadoes and landslides in parts of China;

On July 8, Party General Secretary and State President To Lam and Prime Minister Le Minh Hung sent messages of sympathy to General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. The same day, Politburo member and Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung sent a message of sympathy to Wang Yi, Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China. Earlier, he had also sent a message of sympathy to Chen Gang, Secretary of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China.

"Once again, we extend our deepest sympathies to the Government and people of China, especially the people of Guangxi, over the difficulties and losses caused by the natural disasters," Hang said.

Citing information from Vietnam's representative missions in China, the Vietnamese diplomat said no Vietnamese citizens had been reported affected by the recent natural disasters.

She added that the missions were continuing to closely monitor the situation and coordinate with the competent local authorities, while standing ready to take timely and necessary citizen protection measures if any Vietnamese citizens encounter difficulties.

Hang also advised Vietnamese citizens facing problems to contact the Foreign Ministry's citizen protection hotline.

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