Vietnam and Finland agreed to boost investment and trade promotion activities in an effort to raise two-way trade to 1 billion USD and Finland ’s investment in Vietnam to 1 billion USD in the next several years.

The agreement was reached by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his Finnish counterpart, Matti Vanhanen, during their talks in Hanoi on November 16.

The two PMs were unanimous in strengthening cooperation on labour, industry and trade policy, environmental protection, clean energy and technology as well as promoting innovation and coping with climate change.

They also agreed to speed up the implementation of a framework agreement on educational and training cooperation, under which Finland will help Vietnam in training PhDs in information technology, health, the environment, forestry and aquaculture.

PM Dung thanked the Finnish Government and people’s support for Vietnam during its struggle for independence in the past as well as its current national development and international integration.

He spoke highly of Finland’s active role in addressing international issues and global challenges and affirmed that the Vietnamese Government and people attach great importance to strengthening the traditional friendship and sustainable, long-term, mutually-beneficiary cooperation with Finland.

PM Matti Vanhanen also praised Vietnam’s achievements in renewal and integration with its maintenance of high economic growth over many years, even in the context of the world financial crisis.

He affirmed that Finland esteems the role and position of Vietnam in Asia as well as in the world and wishes to strengthen their comprehensive relationship with the country, especially in economics, trade and investment.

The Finnish Government leader congratulated Vietnam on its increasing prestige in the world and its successful bid to become a UNESCO Executive Council member in the 2009-2013 term.

PM Dung and his Finnish counterpart expressed their pleasure at the track record of positive developments in bilateral ties between the two countries, especially in politics. They also spoke highly of the initial results of labour cooperation and agreed to expand their pilot cooperation programme on labour in Finland .

The two PMs exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues of common concern, including cooperation in dealing with the world financial crisis, climate change and energy security. They agreed to further their coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums such as the UN, ASEM and ASEAN-EU.

PM Dung affirmed that Vietnam, with its increasing role in Southeast Asia and its assumption of 2010 ASEAN Chair, is ready to bridge cooperation between Finland and the Southeast Asian region.

The Finnish PM also affirmed that Finland will continue support for Vietnam in strengthening comprehensive ties and negotiating its Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with the EU, recognising Vietnam as a market economy, creating a pre-condition for the country to enjoy the EU’s Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), as well as support the removal of anti-dumping tax on Vietnam’s shoes, he said.

After the talks, the two PMs signed a memorandum of understanding on labour and industry policies and met representatives of Finnish businesses./.