Vietnam, Belarus intensify trade, investment

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Belarus will continue boosting bilateral ties across trade, investment, industry, transport, education and training, as heard the 13 th session of the Vietnam-Belarus Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic-Trade and Scientific-Technological Cooperation in Hanoi on October 27.

The session, co-chaired by Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh and Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko, discussed the economic cooperation scheme for 2016-2018 and the outcomes of collaboration in the fields of economy-trade and science-technology, as well as mapped out specific measures to enhance bilateral ties.

Speaking at the event, Semashko hailed the Belarus visit by Party Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong in November 2014 and the Vietnam visit by Belarusian President A. Lukashenko in December 2015 as significant to strengthening economic-trade, and scientific-technological ties between the two nations.

He said the Vietnam-Eurasian free trade agreement (FTA) that took effect on October 5, 2016 will make it easier for the two business communities to facilitate trade and investment.

According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, both sides have facilitated trade via exhibitions and fairs during 2015-2016, including the Vietnam-Belarus business forum held in Hanoi in December 2015 and the Belarus country exhibition within the framework of the 26 th Vietnam International Trade Fair (Vietnam Expo) held in April 2016.

Minister Anh said both sides will pay attention to effectively realising the Vietnam-Eurasian FTA and a protocol on supporting the production of motorised vehicles in Vietnam that was put into force on October 5.

Concluding the meeting, the two leaders signed the minute of the committee’s 13 th session and witnessed the signing of eight cooperation agreement between ministries, agencies and businesses.-VNA