Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (right) receives Kuwaiti Minister of Oil and Electricity and Water Khaled Ali Al Fadhel in Hà Nội. VNA/VNS Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI – Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc expressed his wish that Viet Nam would be able to export more products to Kuwait during a reception in Hà Nội yesterday for Kuwaiti Minister of Oil and Electricity and Water Khaled Ali Al Fadhel. 

The PM thanked the Kuwaiti government for recognising Viet Nam as a market economy and noted that two-way trade almost reached US$2.7 billion last year, $77 million of which came from Viet Nam’s exports, mostly aquatic, forestry and agricultural products, and imports were crude oil. 

He expressed his delight at the outcomes of bilateral cooperation in oil and gas, particularly the Nghi Sơn oil refinery and petrochemical plant invested by Việt Nam, Japan and Kuwait. 

Put into commercial operation in November 2018 with crude oil imported from Kuwait, the project has supplied nearly 40 per cent of Việt Nam’s demand for oil and gas.

The Vietnamese government leader said Việt Nam always creates favourable conditions for investors but they must meet environmental requirements and abide by Việt Nam’s law. 

Al Fadhel, for his part, expressed his belief that the two countries would work closely and effectively together in various areas in the near future. 

He affirmed that Kuwaiti investors would partner with Vietnamese and Japanese counterparts to continue implementing the Nghi Sơn project in an effective way. 

Kuwait highly appreciated the Asian market, including Việt Nam, he said, adding that Kuwait hopes the project would become a symbol of success in its investment in Asia. 

The minister also informed the PM about the outcomes of his working sessions with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and Vietnamese authorities in various areas, including in trade. — VNS