Vietnam attaches importance to boosting economic-trade and investment relations with Belarus with a view to raising two-way trade to 1 billion USD next year.

State President Nguyen Minh Triet made the statement while meeting with Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the Belarusian National Assembly (or Upper House) Boris Batura in the capital city of Minsk on May 14.

The State leader said that Vietnam wishes to penetrate into the European market through Belarus and is ready to become a bridge for Belarus to access the Southeast Asian market.

He suggested more support from the Belarusian Parliament and Chairman Boris Batura to deepen the bilateral ties through providing necessary legal assistance to boost the early implementation of agreements between the two countries’ high-ranking leaders, supervising the enforcement of agreements signed between the two governments and speeding up cooperation between Vietnamese and Belarusian localities.

On the same day, President Triet attended the Vietnam-Belarus Business Forum where he expressed his belief that the forum offered a good chance for the two countries’ businesses to exchange views and seek cooperation and investment opportunities.

“Businesses should take the initiative in bolstering the economic cooperation between the two countries,” he said, adding that Vietnam is making every effort to create a transparent investment environment with simplified procedures for investors.

On behalf of the Belarusian government, Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Kobyakov said that the presence of Vietnamese and Belarusian businesses at the forum proved the further expansion of cooperative ties between the two countries.

He suggested the two countries should focus on increasing their bilateral trade turnover. Belarus will boost exports of metal products, pharmaceuticals and hi-tech equipment to Vietnam while expanding bilateral cooperation to new areas such as mineral exploration and exploitation, he said.

Belarus also applauded Vietnam ’s increased exports of garments and seafood to the country, he added.

President Triet and Deputy PM Andrey Kobyakov witnessed the signing of agreements and contracts on Belarus ’s provision of fertiliser, milk powder and truck component parts for Vietnam .

Earlier, the Vietnamese State leader laid a wreath at the Statue of Victory in Minsk , which commemorates Belarusian soldiers and people who sacrificed their lives during the struggle against fascists.

He also visited the National Library of Belarus, the State Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War and the “Minsk Arena” sports complex./.