Deputy PrimeMinister Vu Van Ninh’s visits to Sweden and the UK, which wrapped up onApril 18, have significantly stepped up Vietnam’s ties with theEuropean countries, Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc has said.
Talking with the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent in the UK on theoutcomes of the visits, Deputy FM Ngoc said Deputy PM Ninh’s Swedenvisit created an impetus to the bilateral cooperation in all fields,which has over recent years not grown as desired.
The Vietnamese and Swedish sides agreed to strengthen partnership in thefields needed by Vietnam, like renewable energy, telecommunication,high technology, and human resource training, he said.
As a traditional and important partner, Sweden made a two-way tradevalue with Vietnam worth over 1 billion USD last year, he noted.
The country had provided Vietnam with 45 billion USD in aid since1969. Although ceasing bilateral ODA provision in 2013, it is hoped tocontinue supporting Vietnam via multilateral channels as well asinternational financial organisations.
Vietnam hasproposed that Sweden recognise its market economy regulations in anearly date, while speeding up negotiations for a free trade agreementbetween Vietnam and the European Union, he furthered.
Sweden voiced its strong support for Vietnam’s stance of peacefullysolving disputes in the East Sea on the basis of international law, Ngocsaid.
On the UK visit, the host country’s investors showed great interest in the Vietnamese market, the Deputy FM said.
Vietnam’s efforts in reforming its financial and banking systems anddeveloping its securities market have been lauded by the UK side, henoted.
Since setting up their strategic partnershipin 2010, the two countries’ relations have grown remarkably across theboard, said Ngoc.
Two-way trade in 2013 reachedmore than 4.2 billion USD, including Vietnam’s exports of over 3 billionUSD, the diplomat noted.
Ngoc described thesuccess of many UK enterprises in Vietnam, such as Standard Chartered,Prudential and Rolls Royce, as the manifestation of productiveeconomic-trade ties between the two countries.
Thatthe UK’s HSBC and Standard Chartered were allowed to operate as the 100percent foreign invested entities in Vietnam since 2008 reflected thecountry’s willing and efforts to realise its WTO commitments, he said.
The UK Trade and Investment Agency listing Vietnam asone of the 20 most potential emerging markets also creates greatconditions for the two sides to foster stronger partnership in thefuture, Ngoc stressed.-VNA