The Vietnam-Russia traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and strategic partnership have been consolidated, developed and deepened, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City’s Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association, Hoang Huu Nghia said.

The Vietnamese people always remember and are grateful to the people of the Russian Federation as well as the people of the former Soviet Union people, for their assistance to Vietnam’s struggle for independence and national construction, Nghia said at a ceremony to mark the 21 st National Day of the Russian Federation (June 12) in HCM City on June 3.

Nghia and Russian Consul General Anatoli Vasilievich Borovik shared positive views on the bilateral friendship and cooperation, saying they believed that the Vietnam-Russia strategic partnership would be further deepened, in compliance with the two countries’ interests and for peace, stability and cooperation in the region and the world.

The two countries’ top priority will be boosting trade, investment, targeting to increase bilateral trade from 2.4 billion USD in 2010 to 3 billion USD in 2012 and 10 billion USD in 2020.

Vietnam and Russia will expand energy and oil and gas cooperation by signing an inter-governmental agreement on extending the operation of the Vietnam-Russia oil and gas joint venture Vietsovpetro for another 20 years and prepare activities to mark the joint-venture’s 30 th anniversary this year./.