Abu Zarqa was one of 10 new ambassadors presented their credentials to To Lam, who also serves as the Secretary General de of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), at the Presidential Palace in central Hanoi.

The president expressed hope that the Palestinian diplomat would expand the traditional bilateral friendship, particularly regarding people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in culture and education.

The head of State also sent greetings and an invitation to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to visit Vietnam.

The ambassador thanked Vietnam for its support and pledged to boost substantive and effective cooperation, Vietnam News reported.

The Vietnamese president also received senior representatives from Brazil, France, South Korea, and Malaysia, as well as from the Czech Republic, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands.

In each case, To Lam briefed them on Vietnam’s situation, which closed the first nine months of the year with nine percent economic growth, and highlighted the country’s pursuit of an independent foreign policy based on multilateralism, and the hope that their respective nations would strengthen relations.

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