Hanoi (VNA) – Uruguay’s Vice President Lucia Topolansky hassuggested Vietnam and Uruguaystrengthen their cooperation across fields, especially in economy, trade andinvestment, making it match the fruitful bilateral political ties.
At a reception for Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industryand Trade Do Thang Hai in Montevideoon October 23, Topolansky said the first meeting of the Vietnam-Uruguay JointCommittee on Economic, Trade and Investment Cooperation serves as a foundationfor the two sides to expand their collaboration in different realms.
Briefing his host on outcomes of the meeting, Hai said thetwo sides reviewed their affiliation over the past time and discussed cooperationpriorities in the time ahead.
They agreed to create conditions for products of the twocountries to access the respective markets, promote delegation exchanges, andorganise trade and investment promotion activities.
Hai urged the two countries to soon implement signedcooperation agreements, while boosting collaboration in the areas of theirpotential.
The joint committee will carry forward its role in forgingbilateral affiliation in economy, trade, investment, agriculture, andscience-technology, the official said.
The first meeting of the joint committee took place earlierthe same day under the co-chair of Hai and Uruguayan Deputy Foreign MinisterAriel Bergamino.
The two sides shared the view that the meeting marks a newstep in the bilateral cooperation since the establishment of Vietnam-Uruguaydiplomatic ties in 1993.
Although two-way trade increased from 71 million USD in 2012to nearly 120 million USD in 2017, the economic, trade and investment relationshave yet to match their potential as well as traditional friendship, themeeting heard.
Regarding market access, especially of agriculturalproducts, Uruguay hoped to export beef and citrus to Vietnam while theSoutheast Asian nation wanted to ship vegetables, pepper, cashew nuts, seafoodand interior decorations to Uruguay.
Vietnam exports footwear, garments-textiles, computers,electronic products and spare parts, rubber, rattan, steel, plastic and ceramicproducts to Uruguay.
Meanwhile, the country imports wood and timber products,garment-textile and leather materials, pharmaceutical products, milk and dairyproducts, seafood, cattle feed, and chemicals from this market.-VNA