Business news

MINSK, 27 June (BelTA) – The major goal for Belarus and Vietnam for the next year or two will be the efforts to reach $0.5 billion in trade, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said after the talks with Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang on 27 June, BelTA has learned.

“An efficient use of the advantages of the free trade zone between Vietnam and Belarus, a member state of the Eurasian Economic Union, will create additional opportunities for expanding mutual trade. Today we have agreed that our goal for the next year or two is to reach $0.5 billion in trade,” the president said.

Alexander Lukashenko emphasized a positive momentum in economic cooperation. The two countries have been increasing the supplies of agricultural and confectionary products, vehicle sets. “The basis of our cooperation comprise industrial cooperation, infrastructure and agrarian projects, exploration and production of minerals,” the head of state noted.

Special attention of the talks was focused on launching a joint production of MAZ equipment in Vietnam, the supplies of Belarusian haul trucks and tractors. Issues related to the import of Vietnamese goods to Belarus were considered as well.

According to the president, the two countries are interested in implementing joint programs both in Vietnam and Belarus. This will help advance goods to the member states of the Association of South East Asian Nations and the Eurasian Economic Union. “We expect successful talks and mutually beneficial long-term contacts from the Belarusian-Vietnamese business forum. We need to promote sustainable business ties, including between the chambers of commerce and industry, and associations,” said Alexander Lukashenko.

In his words, interregional cooperation between Belarus and Vietnam has been gaining momentum as one of the main components of the whole set of relations.

Bilateral contacts in the humanitarian sector are viewed as positive since they draw the two nations closer to each other. In 2017 the Days of Belarusian Culture were held in Vietnam. Next year the Days of Vietnamese Culture will be organized in Belarus.

On the whole, the two presidents discussed the whole range of the Belarusian-Vietnamese relations and prospects for them to enter a higher level. “Belarus considers Vietnam as one of the key partners in Southeast Asia. Years-long cooperation, mutual understanding and friendship between the two nations testify to the fact,” Alexander Lukashenko said.

The president noted that Belarus and Vietnam have similar approaches to the majority of important issues on the international agenda. The two countries hold a regular parliamentary dialogue and exchange delegations at the governmental and regional levels.

The head of state stressed that the package of documents, signed at the end of the talks including the presidents’ joint statement, is aimed at strengthening mutually beneficial partnership at different areas. Alexander Lukashenko is confident that the reached agreements will serve as a powerful additional impetus to the development of cooperation between the two countries.