In an interview grantedto Belarus National State TV, the Vietnamese President, who is on a three-dayofficial visit to Belarus, highlighted that Vietnam and Belarus hold highaffiliation prospect in a strong, dynamic and more effective manner in thefuture.
Important agreementsin economic and trade, including the Vietnam-Eurasian Economic Union free tradeagreement and the Vietnam-Belarus protocol on supporting the production ofmotored transport vehicles in the territory of Vietnam, will create strongprogress in economic, trade and investment partnership between the twocountries, he said.
He noted that the twosides are actively implementing the truck assembling and production joint ventureproject between Belarus’s MAZ company and Vietnam’s Au Viet company, which isscheduled to become operational in late 2017.
With its strength intransport vehicle production, Belarus firms, especially MAZ, will expandcooperation with Vietnamese partners in the field, he held.
At the same time,agricultural collaboration will be strengthened, especially in farm produceexport and processing, said the State leader.
The two sides willcontinue fostering their science-technology cooperation within the framework ofthe joint committee on science-technology cooperation on the basis of the affiliationroadmap between the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and the BelarusNational Academy of Sciences for the 2016-2020 period.
Along with bilateral collaborationin education-training, information-communications, the two sides will expand cooperationin natural resources and environment, said the President who pledged thatVietnam supports and encourages localities of both sides to set up direct partnershipand propose specific cooperation plans.
The State leader alsoexpressed his delight to visit Belarus for the first time since he took officein 2016, which coincides with the 25th anniversary of the bilateral diplomaticties, while showing his sound sentiments to the nation and people of Belarus.
Noting that the twocountries have shared strong political trust through regular exchanges ofdelegations, especially at high-ranking level, President Quang said that bothsides have supported each other at international forums such as the UnitedNations and the Non-Aligned Movement.
Vietnam and Belarushave maintained diverse cooperation mechanisms, including the Deputy ForeignMinisterial political consultation, Inter-Governmental Committee oneconomic-trade and science-technology cooperation, Inter-Governmental Committeeon defence technology cooperation, and Committee on science and technology cooperation.
Two-way trade reachednearly 100 million USD in 2016. Last year, the number of Belarusian tourists toVietnam doubled that of 2015. Belarus is among 40 countries enjoying Vietnam’s e-visaissuance from February 1, 2017. In May this year, Belarus Culture Days wereheld in Hanoi and Son La province, introducing the beautiful country andfriendly people of Belarus to Vietnam, noted the President.
Regarding benefitbrought about by the Vietnam-EAEU free trade agreement in boosting bilateraleconomic-trade cooperation, he said that the deal brings precious opportunitiesand a new space for both sides to bolster their economic-trade ties.
Preferential tariffpolicies that the two sides offer to each other allow them to increase exportsto each other market, thus making balancing trade and fulfilling the target ofover 500 million USD in two-way trade the coming time, he said.
Vietnam will also workhard to assist Belarus and EAEU countries to expand economic and trade tieswith the ASEAN Community, a market with over 600 million people and the GDP ofabout 2.5 trillion USD, stated President Quang.
He also expressed his beliefthat Vietnam and Belarus will tap new opportunities to beef up their ties inall fields for the interest of the two countries’ people and for peace,stability and development in the region and the world.-VNA