Vietnam, Belarus set bilateral trade target of US$500 million

At their talks, the two State leaders discussed a score of measures to boost bilateral trade and improve their trade balance while expanding investment cooperation.

They emphasized the importance of the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).

The two sides consented to continue the Vietnam-Belarus cooperation programme on economics, science, education and culture for 2016-2018.

They underlined the need to improve the working efficiency of the Inter-Governmental Committee, facilitate export-import activities, expand industrial partnership with a major focus on putting the two countries’ automobile assembling and manufacturing joint-venture into operation in Vietnam.

The two leaders agreed to maintain the regular exchange of all-level delegations, particularly those at high level to enhance all-around ties, especially in economics, trade and investment.

They pledged to work hand in hand at international forums such as the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement as a contribution to ensuring the interests of each country as well as to the building of a peaceful, stable and prosperous world.

Host and guest expressed their delight at fruitful collaboration in national defence-security, and agreed to continue expanding joint work in other fields such as science-technology, education-training, culture, sports, tourism and labour.

The Vietnamese President said the two countries greatly valued the trustworthy political ties founded and nurtured over the past 25 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992.

President Quang said he hopes that Belarus will continue supporting Vietnamese nationals living in the country.

President Lukashenko, in turn said his nation regards Vietnam as a long-term cooperative partner, and the two sides have reached consensus on boosting bilateral cooperation through the exchange of delegations and linkages between localities.

He highlighted the growth in bilateral economic-trade ties, noting that the FTA between Vietnam and the EEU will provide a foundation for the two countries to achieve the goal of US$500 million in two-way trade in the time ahead.

He said both sides will work harder to increase Vietnam’s exports to Belarus apart from farm produce, machinery and automobiles, as well as Belarus’s farming tractor supply to Vietnam, adding that they will also consider joint projects in each other’s territory.

He also assured his backing of Vietnam’s position on settling territorial disputes, including those in the East Sea by peaceful measures without using force or threat to use force, with the participation of all sides concerned. He said he welcomes efforts to soon achieve a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

He expressed his belief that the official visit to Belarus by President Quang will definitely create a new impulse to the Vietnam-Belarus cooperation to grow robustly across sectors, thus providing a solid foundation for the bilateral ties to reach a new height, meeting their people’s aspiration and interest, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world as a whole.

After the talks, President Tran Dai Quang and President Lukashenko signed a joint declaration on the comprehensive and extensive development of the partnership between Vietnam and Belarus.

They witnessed the signing of nine cooperative documents, including a Protocol on amending the Protocol between the Governments of Vietnam and Belarus on supporting the production of motored transport vehicles in the territory of Vietnam, and those covering science and technology, military technology, sport and physical training, geology, and locality cooperation.

On the occasion, President Quang invited President A. Lukashenko to visit Vietnam and his invitation was graciously accepted.

The date of visit will be arranged through diplomatic channels.

President Tran Dai Quang is in Belarus for an official visit from June 26-28 at the invitation his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko.