Vietnam, Russia strive to reach free trade deal soon

Vietnam and Russia are stepping up efforts to conclude negotiations for the signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan in early 2015.
Vietnam and Russia are stepping up efforts to conclude negotiationsfor the signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) between Vietnam andthe Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan in early 2015.

Theefforts were committed at the 17th session of the Vietnam-RussiaInter-Governmental Committee on Economic-Trade andScientific-Technological Cooperation taken place in Vladivostok onSeptember 5-7.

The strategic cooperation contentsof the document is hoped to bring enormous interests to the partiesinvolved and contribute to the elevation of cooperation of mutualbenefit to a new height.

Vietnam, in particular,wants to continue her close and effective coordination with Russiain the fields of energy, oil and gas, and mineral mining.

The country is also interested in other realms such as engineering,automobile assembling, shipbuilding, trade, finance-banking,education-training, agriculture, science-technology, telecommunications,aviation, sports, tourism, and outer space for peaceful purposes.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai, head of the Vietnamesesub-committee, and his Russian counterpart, Igor Shuvalov, highlightedthe sound political ties between the two countries as well as discussedmeasures to cement bilateral relations in various fields.

They noted that both countries are effectively carrying out activitiesto promote the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership,including annual strategic dialogues on foreign affairs, security anddefence.

The two countries have also closely workedtogether and given mutual support at international forums of the UnitedNations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, the ASEANRegional Forum (ARF), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), and theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN)– Russia .

Last year, two-way trade rose 12.6 percent to reach 2.758 billion USD.

Russia had by the end of June of 2014 ran 101 investment projectsin Vietnam with a total registered capital of 2 billion USD, whileVietnam poured 2.5 billion USD into 20 projects in the host, mainlyfocusing on oil and gas, real estate, food processing, textile, andfootwear.

The inter-governmental committee iswilling is to create favourable conditions for businesses of the twocountries to boost investment in the respective market.

The heads of the two sub-committees signed a minute on the outcomes of the session.

The next meeting will be held in Vietnam in 2015.-VNA

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