Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng speaks at the event.  VGP Photo

HÀ NỘI — Government officials and businesses of Việt Nam and Russia attended a high-level dialogue forum held in Hà Nội on October 29 by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the office of the Russian Presidential Commissioner for Entrepreneurs’ Rights.
Addressing the forum, which was part of a working trip to Việt Nam by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Maxim Akimov and a business delegation, Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng said the event will help enhance the effectiveness of Việt Nam-Russia cooperation in many fields.
He expressed the hope that the time-tested relations between the two countries will continue to advance, and affirmed that the Vietnamese Government will always be a reliable strategic partner of Russia.
Việt Nam is committed to creating the best possible conditions for Russian businesses to invest in the country, the Deputy PM said.
Deputy PM Akimov noted that the business communities of the two countries have cooperated with each other for years, reaping positive outcomes.
He said he is certain that Russian businesses will achieve a greater presence in Việt Nam. At the same time, the Russian Government pledges to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese firms to invest in Russia.
Besides the traditional cooperative areas of oil and gas and energy, Russia plans to expand ties with Việt Nam in high technology, telecoms and electronics, as well as digital technology, the Deputy PM said, stressing that e-Government, information security and smart city will be the three focuses of bilateral cooperation in the future.
The Presidential Commissioner for Entrepreneurs’ Rights Boris Titov said Russia has realised the two countries have not made full use of their potential and opportunities in economic cooperation. Therefore, Việt Nam and Russia should promote their partnership, and specific measures are needed to address issues of mutual concern, he said.
On behalf of the Vietnamese business circle, VCCI Chairman Vũ Tiến Lộc reported that trade between Việt Nam and Russia has developed strongly with an average growth of 30 per cent a year after the signing of the Việt Nam-Eurasian Economic Union FTA.
Two-way trade turnover rose by 28.6 per cent year-on-year to reach nearly US$4.6 billion in 2018, with Russia’s exports valued at $2.44 billion.
At present, Russia is the 24th largest foreign investors in Việt Nam with 123 projects and $932 million in registered capital.
Meanwhile, Việt Nam has 22 investment projects in Russia with total capital of nearly $3 billion.
Lộc highlighted dairy cow farming and milk processing projects invested by TH True Milk in Moscow and Kaluga as examples of strong Việt Nam-Russia relations.  

Việt Nam is currently the 23rd biggest trade partner of Russia globally, the largest in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the sixth in APEC, Lộc said, stressing that those figures demonstrated that bilateral ties have been growing strongly based on not only traditional advantages but also new opportunities. — VNS