Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung arrived in Kiev on Oct. 4, beginning his three-day official visit to the Ukraine at the invitation of Prime Minister Mykola Azarov.

A welcome ceremony was solemnly held at Borispol International Airport .

PM Dung’s official visit to the Ukraine aims to implement the agreement on development of the comprehensive cooperation and partnership between the two countries, discuss orientations and specific measures to accelerate cooperation in economics, trade, investment, science, technology, education and training between Vietnam and the Ukraine.

In recent years, Vietnam and the Ukraine have maintained and developed their traditional friendship. The two sides signed a joint statement on developing comprehensive cooperation and partnership, and agreed on a number of measures to promote bilateral ties during an official visit to Vietnam by President Viktor Yanukovych in March this year.

Two-way trade reached nearly 260 million USD in 2010 and 95 million USD in the first six months of this year.

The Ukraine now manages four investment projects with a total investment capital of about 24 million USD in Vietnam and in return, the southeast Asian country invests in four projects capitalised at 27 million USD in the Ukraine .

Also the same day, Prime Minister Dung visited and cut the ribbon to inaugurate the Rainbow Trade Centre.

He visited the Vietnamese Embassy and met with embassy staff and the Vietnamese community, affirming the Overseas Vietnamese community is an indispensable part of the nation.

“The Party and State of Vietnam always pay special attention to the Overseas Vietnamese community, including those in the Ukraine ,” he said.

The PM praised their contributions to maintaining, strengthening and developing the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. He urged them to unite and provide mutual help for stable lives and legal and efficient business operations, and to preserve national cultural identity and make contributions to the homeland./.