VGP – Viet Nam and India will together make effort to achieve a two-way trade value of US$ 15 billion  in the coming time as their leaders have agreed to accelerate economics, trade, and investment cooperation.

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh (R) shakes hands
with Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu 

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh held talks in Ha Noi on May 10 with her guest, Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu and both reached that agreement.

Welcoming the guest’s first visit to Viet Nam, Thinh stated Viet Nam places importance to the time-honoured friendship with India and hailed the dynamic growth of the bilateral ties across the board, especially after the countries established strategic partnership in 2007 and upgraded the ties to comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016.

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu said the two countries worked closely to implement projects to preserve the world cultural heritage My Son in Viet Nam’s central province of Quang Nam and assist the Cham ethnic people in the southern province of Ninh Thuan.

The leaders agreed to continue maintaining the exchange of visits at all levels and deploying efficiently signed cooperation documents.

They said defence-security cooperation is continuously efficient and practical, hailing the organization of the first maritime security dialogue in March this year and the visits of Indian naval and coast guard ships to Viet Nam since early this year.

Towards the trade value of US$ 15 billion, they suggested the early building of detailed plans to carry out signed trade deals and unblock current hindrances and barriers.

They pointed to the need to step up investment promotion activities, especially in information technology, energy, renewable energy, infrastructure, hi-tech agriculture, innovation, and oil and gas production, reaching consensus on the early launch of direct air routes linking the two countries’ big cities.

They sought to speed up cooperation in training, and science-technology while showing their support for locality-to-locality partnership and youth exchange programmes.

Discussing regional and global issues of shared concern, they asserted that the two countries will continue working closely and supporting each other at regional and global multilateral forums, especially at the United Nations, as well as their run for a non-permanent member seat at the United Nations Security Council, for Viet Nam in the 2020-2021 tenure and for India in the 2021-2022 tenure.

Thinh said Viet Nam supports India’s “Act East” policy and welcomes its stance on the East Sea in the past time.

She suggested that India continue backing the maintenance of order in the East Sea by abiding by international law, respecting sovereignty, sovereign right, and territorial integrity, and ensuring navigation and overflight freedom, security and safety; and the settlement of disputes in the sea by peaceful means in conformity with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS).

The Indian leader spoke of Vietnam’s effort and contributions to the globe’s religious activities in general and that of Buddhism in particular, expressing his hope that this year’s Vesak celebration in the country will be successful.

He will attend the celebration of the United Nations Day of Vesak 2019 during his official visit to Viet Nam from May 9-12