Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung and Russian Deputy Prime Minister D.N. Chernyshenko co-chaired a virtual meeting on November 11 to review and seek measures to boost the Viet Nam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership. 

Deputy PM Trinh Dinh Dung at the virtual meeting of the Viet Nam-Russia Inter-governmetnal Committee on economic-trade and scientific-technological cooperation

 Dung and his Russian counterpart Chernyshenko are co-chairs of the Viet Nam-Russia Inter-governmental Committee for commercial, economic, scientific and technical cooperation.

Addressing the meeting, Dung affirmed the Government and people of Viet Nam always bear in mind and treasure Russia’s great support and assistance in the past struggle for national liberation and reunification and the current national construction.

He was convinced that the fine political and diplomatic ties would create a solid foundation for the two countries to further deepen trade and investment linkages in a practical manner on the basis of the comprehensive strategic partnership.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, both countries have maintained contacts through different forms, which reflects the high level of the sides’ political trust, Dung said.

On behalf of the Russian Government, Chernyshenko expressed the sympathy to the loss of lives and properties caused by natural disasters in Central Viet Nam, expressing thanks for Viet Nam’s timely and valuable support for Russia’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chernyshenko affirmed the two countries share common vision on advancing the comprehensive strategic partnership, adding that both sides owned abundant opportunities for further cooperation in such field as trade, investment, science and technology.

The two Deputy PMs noted with pleasure that the two-way trade saw signs of recovery amid COVID-19 pandemic, touching US$ 4.1 billion in the first nine months this year, representing a year-on-year increase of 13%.

As the key member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), Russia has worked with Viet Nam to to effectively implement the Viet Nam-EEU Free Trade Agreement over the past three years.

The two leaders took the occasion to discuss on measures to address bottlenecks in important projects on construction of Phu Long 1 thermo-power plant and nuclear science center, and establishment of auto joint ventures in Viet Nam.

Both sides also agreed that the 23rd meeting of the Viet Nam-Russia Inter-governmental Committee for commercial, economic, scientific and technical cooperation will be held soon once the COVID-19 pandemic put under control.

The same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc received Russian Ambassador to Viet Nam Konstantin Vnukov, during which the Government chief suggested both countries double efforts to soon lift the annual bilateral trade to US$10.

Russia Ambassador Konstantin Vnukov said that Viet Nam is among the countries successfully managing the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the pandemic still is still evolving complicatedly, Russia wishes to assist Viet Nam in COVID response, including vaccine supply, affirmed the diplomat./.