Hanoi (VNA) – ASEAN countries, including Vietnam, are important priorities in Russia’s foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific region, Russian Ambassador to Vietnam G.S. Bezdetko said on May 15.
He made the remarks at a conference jointly organised by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO), the Russian Embassy in Vietnam and Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association, aiming to share information about Russia and cooperation between the two countries.
The conference focused on the current political, economic, cultural and social situation of Russia, cooperation between Vietnam and Russia, and potential for future collaboration.
This year the two countries celebrate 74 years of diplomatic ties, as well as 30 years of signing the Treaty on Principles of Friendly Relations between Vietnam and Russia, Bezdetko said, expressing his satisfaction with the development of political dialogue between the two countries.
The ambassador also mentioned the phone talks between Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Russian President Putin on March 26 during which the two leaders discussed bilateral cooperation in the coming time in security-defence, trade, culture, and tourism. The Vietnamese Party leader took this occasion to invite President Putin to officially visit Vietnam soon and the Russian President accepted the invitation with pleasure.
Bezdetko said that preparations for the visit are underway and it is expected to create new momentum to deepen bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Regarding bilateral economic cooperation, Trade Representative of Russia in Vietnam V. N. Kharino said that the two countries are trying to effectively implement the Vietnam - Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Free Trade Agreement to increase bilateral trade to 10 billion USD by 2025.
Many Russian high-tech and health care businesses have shown their interest in expanding their presence in Vietnam, he added./.
