The “Doi moi” (Reform) policy implemented over three decades ago is abreakthrough in the country’s economy, which helps turn Vietnam, from animpoverished nation, into an important economy in the region, the articlewrote.
ASEAN is currently the third largest exporter and second largest importer of Vietnam.Vietnam has enjoyed robust business and investment performance in neighbouringcountries like Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar.
If Russia sees China as its key strategic partner in Northeast Asia, it givesthe position in Southeast Asia to Vietnam, the article stressed.
Vietnam and Russia upgraded their ties to the comprehensive strategicpartnership in 2012, and three years later, Vietnam was the first country tosign an agreement on a free trade area with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) of Russia, Armenia, Belarus,Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan).
The time-honoured bilateral traditional friendship has been consolidated asRussian President Vladimir Putin has visited Vietnam four times and his latesttrip was to attend the APEC 2017 Economic Leaders’ Week in Da Nang on November10-11.
According to the Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VTsIOM), Vietnam ismore popular among Russian people than other ASEAN member countries. Directorof the centre Valery Fedorov said the fact was based on various elements liketourism, commodities, culture, people-to-people relations and political role inthe world.
Meanwhile,survey from the Pew Research Centre showed that 83 percent of Vietnamese peoplelove Russia.
In the context of rising sanctions imposed by the US and European countries,Russia has promoted its East Asia policy and Vietnam will be a bridge toenhance economic cooperation between Russia and Southeast Asian nations.
The article also underlined that Vietnamese leaders have expressed theirwillingness to bolster ties between Russia and ASEAN due to the country’sincreasing role in the bloc.-VNA