Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh has stated that high political trust will create a driving force for promoting bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh (L) in the interview (Source: VNA)

He made the statement in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of his presentation of credentials to Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 11.

Manh said bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership has been growing in perse areas, especially via the exchange of high-level visits, notably Chairwoman of the Federation Council of Russia Valentina Matviyenko’s visit to Vietnam in February 2017, President Tran Dai Quang’s visit to Russia in June 2017. In November last year, Presidents Tran Dai Quang and Vladimir Putin held talks on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting in the central city of Da Nang.

Two-way trade neared 4 billion USD last year, up 36 percent annually. Russia’s total investment in Vietnam hit 2 billion USD while Vietnam poured 2.9 billion USD into the European country.

The two countries have agreed to jointly build and modernise energy works in Vietnam, and their localities have held meetings to boost ties, notably between Hanoi and Moscow, Ho Chi Minh City and Saint Petersburg, Da Nang and Yaroslavl, Khanh Hoa and Khabarovsk.

National defence-security cooperation has developed via the regular exchange of delegations and effective operations of the Vietnam – Russia Inter-Governmental Committee on Scientific-Technological Cooperation. Ties across culture, education and science-technology have been increasingly strengthened.

In order to fully tap potential of bilateral cooperation, Manh underscored the need to realise projects under the Vietnam – Russia priority portfolio for 2018-2019, and make periodic review to clear barriers and unlock opportunities brought about by the Vietnam – Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement that took effect in October 2016.

He called for stepping up trade promotion and popularising images of Vietnam to attract investment.

The Vietnam – Russia Inter-Governmental Committee on Scientific-Technological Cooperation’s meetings held every three months prove Russia’s determination to deepen ties with Vietnam, he said.

The ambassador added that the embassy will give priority to economic diplomacy in order to realise the goal of lifting two-way trade to 10 billion USD by 2020 as agreed by leaders./.

VNF/VNA