Vietnam wishes to cooperate with Timor-Leste, particularly in the areas of economics, trade and investment, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Receiving Timor-Leste’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism Gil da Costa Alves in Hanoi on Sept. 22, PM Dung also said Vietnam is ready to join hands in terms of oil and gas exploration and exploitation within Timor-Leste’s territory, food and wooden furniture production and processing and human resources development.

In this spirit, the PM proposed that the two sides work out and sign agreements covering cooperation in fields where both countries have needs.

PM Dung congratulated Timor-Leste on the comprehensive achievements it has reaped in recent years and expressed his hope that the country will soon become a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The government leader also spoke highly of the outcome of the earlier talks between Minister Gil da Costa Alves and Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang.

He affirmed his support for cooperative relations between the two ministries, especially their deal regarding Vietnam’s provision of rice to Timor-Leste.

Costa Alves said his country expects to receive assistance from Vietnam in promoting trade and investment, particularly in personnel training and rice production.

While briefing his host on talks with Minister Hoang, the minister said the two sides came to terms on Vietnam ’s supply of rice to Timor-Leste and agreed upon a number of measures to boost commercial ties between the two nations./.