Deputy PM’s visit beefs up Vietnam-Israel cooperation

Tel Aviv (VNA) - Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai paid an official visit to Israel from December 1-3, with the aim of promoting multi-faceted cooperation with the country.

During his stay, Deputy PM Hai had meetings and working sessions with Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Silvan Shalom, Minister of Science, Technology and Space Ofir Akunis and representatives from Elbit System and Hutchison Kinrot groups.

He also attended and spoke at the Vietnam-Israel Economic Cooperation Forum in Tel Aviv on December 2 (local time), which drawn nearly 100 representatives from Israeli economic agencies and firms operating in various fields.

In his speech, Deputy PM Hai introduced participants to Vietnam’s potential and advantages, and its policies to attract foreign investment into the country, especially in the context that the country is accelerating international integration through a series of crucial free trade agreements (FTAs), including the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement – the globe’s largest trade pact.

Vietnam is aiming for sustainable development and green growth, Hai stressed, adding that these goals coincide with Israel’s strengths such as hi-tech agriculture, cyber security technology, healthcare, waste water and solid waste recycling, irrigation and drainage technology, and post-harvest preservation.

He suggested businesses of Vietnam and Israel seek partnerships in these fields.

Towards developing modern and large scale agriculture and rural economy, many Vietnamese localities want to expand cooperation with Israel in applying hi-technology in agricultural production, the Deputy PM said.

Representatives from the Israeli side praised the fine relations between the two countries, affirming that the forum will contribute to further stepping up affiliation in science-technology and agriculture.

They urged the two Governments to facilitate connection and partner establishment between their businesses in the coming time.

Trade ties between Vietnam and Israel recorded positive growth in recent years, reaching over 1 billion USD per year at present. Israel is operating 18 projects worth 39 million USD in Vietnam, focusing on agriculture, chemicals, textile, and informatics.

Worthy of note are projects on dairy cow breeding in central Nghe An province and Ho Chi Minh City, and an aquaculture project in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, which are using latest agricultural technologies.-VNA