Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong landed in Minsk , the capital of Belarus on November 26, starting his official three-day visit at the invitation of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

The welcome ceremony at Minsk national airport was hosted by Prime Minister Mikhai Myasnikovich, with many Belarusian government officials in attendance.

On the back of a sound and time-honoured bilateral friendly cooperation, two-way trade between Vietnam and Belarus hit 152 million USD in 2013, with Vietnamese imports totalling 138.3 million USD.

The two countries agreed to intensify cooperation in areas of strength and with potential, effectively implement signed agreements on agricultural and industrial production, accelerate the establishment of joint ventures to produce milk, fertilisers and pharmaceuticals, and manufacture trucks and tractors.

Both nations see prospects for labour export cooperation. Vietnamese businesses recently signed contracts with a construction company in Belarus to send workers to an entertainment-sports complex in Minsk . Vietnam is also willing to provide Belarus with skilled and high-quality workforce major in health, construction and garment industries.

As many as 600 Vietnamese nationals live in Belarus.-VNA