Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh has stated that the Vietnamese Government is keen to carry economic, cultural and science-technology cooperation with Uruguay forward so as to match each side’s potential.

The statement was made while Deputy PM Ninh, who was on a working visit to Uruguay from December 8-10, met with the host President Jose Mujica.

He thanked the Uruguayan Government for recognising Vietnam’s full market economy, saying that it is a manifestation of Uruguay’s support to Vietnam during the country’s renewal and global integration in the new setting.

Mujica made it clear that Uruguay pays attention to embracing friendship and all-around partnerships with Vietnam in its “Look Asia” policy.

The deputy PM also held talks with Uruguayan Vice President and Senator Danilo Astori, during which both sides were unanimous on expanding economic-trade-investment connections while assisting each other in farming, telecommunications, education, science-technology, culture and sports.

They talked in depth on ways to bolster bilateral ties in the coming time by facilitating all-level visits, effectively deploying a political consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries, promptly establishing the inter-governmental committee on economics, trade and investment while continuing with negotiations on cooperation agreements in specific fields.

Both host and guest were committed to making it easier for bilateral exports-imports and tapping each side’s role as springboards into Southeast Asia and South America.

The two leaders pledged mutual support at international organisations and multilateral forums like the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation, Non-Aligned Movement, and the Forum for East Asia–Latin America Cooperation.

During the visit, Ninh also witnessed the signing of two Government-level cooperation documents, including a framework agreement on trade and investment and an agreement on double taxation avoidance and tax evasion control.

Uruguayan Foreign Minister presented a diplomatic note announcing the Uruguayan Government’s decision to recognise Vietnam as a market economy.

On December 9, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam and Deputy Finance Minister Do Hoang Anh Tuan met with representatives of Uruguayan firms to introduce business opportunities in Vietnam.

According to statistics of Uruguay’s customs office, in January-October this year, two-way trade grew by 23.3 percent from the same period last year to 71.9 million USD. Of which, Vietnam’s exports hit 22.8 million USD, up 16 percent, mainly in footwear, garments and synthetic fibre, seafood, toys, farming machinery, wooden furniture, ceramics and handicrafts.

The country’s imports from the South American country soared 27 percent, predominantly in seedlings, leather, timber, milk and dairy products, egg, honey, beef, animal by-products, pharmaceuticals, wool and chemicals.-VNA