Promoting the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership

On December 25, in Hanoi, Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrey G. Kovtun held a press conference to inform about the development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the Russian Federation and Vietnam in 2013.

Loading and unloading goods at Vietsovpetro port. Photo: VNA

Ambassador Andrey G. Kovtun said promoting cooperation with Vietnam is one of the main priorities in Russia's foreign policy in Asia.

In recent times, bilateral relations between Vietnam and the Russian Federation have developed very dynamically with a series of high-level contacts.

The bilateral relationship continues to be strengthened and developed, covering more and more new areas and directions of cooperation. In 2013, the two countries implemented many large-scale agreements.

Besides visits by high-ranking leaders of the two countries, the enhancement of cooperation between ministries, branches and economic and trade cooperation has achieved positive results.

Bilateral goods exchange turnover from January to October reached 3.15 billion USD, up 2% over the same period in 2012, of which the value of imported goods into Russia from Vietnam reached 2.24 billion USD, up 20.5%, and the value of exports from Russia to Vietnam reached 911.2 million USD.

The two sides need to make more efforts to achieve the big goal of bringing trade turnover to 7 billion USD by 2015 and 10 billion USD by 2020.

Besides, cooperation in fields such as energy, telecommunications, culture-education, tourism, and science-technology cooperation between Vietnam and the Russian Federation is developing in depth and breadth...

The Ambassador shared that during the negotiation process on the free trade agreement between the Customs Union (including Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan) and Vietnam in 2013, the two sides conducted four rounds of consultations.

Both sides are working with the most serious spirit, determined to quickly build a comprehensive and balanced agreement, which, when signed, will not only encourage an increase in bilateral goods exchange turnover, but also contribute to the development of trade in services, increase investment, and promote technology transfer.

The Customs Union is now on the threshold of opening a new stage of economic integration, transitioning to a new form, which is the emergence of the Eurasian Economic Union.

The signing of the respective treaty in 2014 and its entry into force in 2015 will mark the transition to the next, deeper level of integration between the three countries of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Ambassador Andrey G. Kovtun expressed hope that the existing positive trends in the relationship between Vietnam and the Russian Federation will continue to be developed and supported by both sides.

This is extremely important because the development of multifaceted relations between the Russian Federation and Vietnam is in full accordance with the interests of both countries, helps the economic and technological progress of the two countries, and contributes to strengthening peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

According to Vietnam+