Hanoi (VNA) – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Vietnam, has become one of the top priorities in the external policies of Ukraine, an expert has said.
Researcher E.Barshevskiy from the Ukraine’s Petro Mohyla Black Sea State University said Vietnam is among a group of ASEAN members namely Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar which mainly ship consumer products to Ukraine while importing industrial and military equipment and machinery.
Vietnam attracts special attention from Ukraine as the two countries have maintained a traditional friendship and developed their cooperation across politics, economics, trade and investment to education and science.
Meanwhile, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines chiefly export industrial and technological products to Ukraine whilst purchasing crude materials and industrial products, he noted.
According to the Ukrainian Embassy in Vietnam, trade between Vietnam and Ukraine reached 350 million USD per year, which is deemed not to match the two sides’ potential.
The East European country exports agricultural produce, processed food, steel, equipment and machinery to Vietnam, while buying farm produce and light industrial products from the Southeast Asian partner.
Ukraine is keen to develop cooperation with Vietnam in the fields of technology, energy, mining, defence industry and military.-VNA