Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Dinh Quy and his Bangladeshi counterpart Md. Shahidul Haque co-chaired the first political consultation between Vietnam and Bangladesh in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on August 6.

On the political ties, the two sides agreed to speed up the exchange of high-level visits and the Bangladeshi side expressed their wish to soon welcome President Tran Dai Quang’s official visit.

On the economic and investment sphere, they agreed to continuously facilitate their businesses’ market research and investment promotion, towards achieving the set two-way trade turnover goal of 1 billion USD.

They pledged to speed up the implementation of the rice commercial deal in 2017-2022 and explore the possibility of cooperation in manufacturing and assembling motorbikes. Bangladesh suggested Vietnam consider importing its medicines and potatoes. 

[Vietnam, Bangladesh extend rice trade deal]

They affirmed that they will push for negotiations for the extension of the memorandum of understanding on agriculture cooperation inked in 2014 and share experience in agriculture and animal and fish farming.

Regarding security-defence, Bangladesh proposed the two sides enhance the exchange of information related to anti-terrorism, share experience in maintenance of aircraft while agreeing with Vietnam’s proposal on sharing experience in participating in the United Nation peacekeeping missions.

In addition to that, the two sides agreed to step up education cooperation, share experience in development and poverty reduction and sign a new cultural exchange programme, and study the opening of a direct flight route or share fight hops, aimed at boosting trade-investment cooperation and people’s contact.

They asserted to work closely at regional and international forums and support each other at international organizations. Bangladesh noted down Vietnam’s proposal of supporting the country in its bid to become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and its candidate to run for the Director General of UNESCO in 2017-2022.

The two sides talked frankly about regional and international issues of shared concern. Vietnam acknowledged and highly valued Bangladesh’s viewpoints on the East Sea issue. Bangladesh stated that it has attached importance to the maintenance of peace, stability, freedom, security and safety of navigation in and overflight over the East Sea, and supported the settlement of disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law and seriously abiding by the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and striving for a sustainable and peaceful solution to the issue.

On the day, Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Dinh Quy visted Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Rashed Khan Menon and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Shahriar Alam.

They all expressed their belief that the relations between the two countries will continue thriving in the coming time based on their close ties in history and tradition and their potential and strength.-VNA