The Russian Trade Representative Agency in Vietnam is willing to provide consultation to Vietnamese businesses, introduce potential projects in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (SNG), and aid cooperation.

Maxim Golikov, Russia ’s Trade Counselor in Vietnam , made the affirmation at the seminar “Russian and SNG markets – opportunities for Vietnamese businesses” held by the Trade Promotion Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) in Hanoi on November 16.

The SNG encompasses 11 member countries with a total population of more than 300 million, noted Le Hoang Anh, deputy head of the department. He added that Russia is the gateway for Vietnamese firms to penetrate this market.

Two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and Russia reached 2 billion USD in 2011, and is expected to hit 3.7 billion USD this year and 7 billion USD by 2015.

Golikov said that Russia-Vietnam cooperation has increased significantly and will continue to grow. The establishment of a free trade area between Vietnam and the Customs Alliance of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan is expected in the near future.

He suggested Vietnamese firms familiarise themselves with Russian laws and analyse information on the Russian market available from the MoIT, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vietnamese trade representative agencies in the country./.