Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (r) receives Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko in Hà Nội yesterday.— VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc wants Việt Nam and Belarus to employ measures to raise their trade value from the current US$100 million as there is huge untapped co-operation potential. 

He made the remarks in Hà Nội yesterday at a reception for visiting Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko. 
The PM described the visit by the Belarusian guest as a milestone, ushering in new prospects for co-operation between Việt Nam and Belarus, stressing that “Việt Nam always respects and wishes to continue maintaining and fostering sustainable friendship and co-operation with Belarus.” 
High-level visits in recent years created an impetus for the two countries to broaden their links across politics, economy, and people-to-people exchange. The free trade agreement between Việt Nam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) that took effect in late 2016 in particular opened up many new opportunities for the two sides’ economic partnership, he said. 
The Belarusian Deputy PM briefed his host on the fruitful outcomes of his working session with the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Việt Nam, referring to their review of bilateral co-operation after a year and a half of implementing the Việt Nam-EEU free trade agreement. 
He suggested boosting bilateral co-operation in Belarus’s strong fields like the production of dairy products, mechanical engineering and industrial products.  
PM Phúc hailed the working session his guest participated in, expressing his hope that the two sides would share more information and hold regular exchanges between businesses to market their products to raise the trade value. 
“Việt Nam is ready to provide the best possible conditions for Belarusian businesses to co-operate, invest and do productive, stable and long-term business associated with Viet Nam’s sustainable development,” the leader said. 
He pledged that the country will work to facilitate the entry of Belarusian industrial, mechanical engineering, energy and mining products in its market. 
Referring to the East Sea, the PM asked Belarus to support the just stance of Việt Nam and ASEAN of addressing disputes in the waters by peaceful means based on international law, especially the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982.  — VNS