Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Lê Văn Thành at the 23rd meeting of the Vietnam – Russia Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic, Trade and Scientific-Technological Cooperation. VNA Photo

HÀ NỘI – Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Lê Văn Thành and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Chernyshenko co-chaired the annual 23rd meeting of the Vietnam – Russia Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic, Trade and Scientific-Technological Cooperation via videoconference on October 29.

Both sides reviewed the implementation of the 22nd meeting’s minutes and discussed orientations and measures to further improve the efficiency of bilateral cooperation, towards the 10th anniversary of bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership (2012-2022).

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, bilateral political exchanges, especially those at high level, have been maintained via videoconference. Trade between the two sides still grew at an encouraging pace while joint works across energy, oil and gas, industry and agriculture remained effective.

The two leaders suggested expanding cooperation into promising fields such as anti-pandemic, banking or renewable energy.

Thành affirmed that Việt Nam wished to further enhance cooperation with Russia and was ready to offer all possible support to the two countries’ energy, oil and gas firms. He agreed to step up a project on nuclear science and technology research centre, and other cooperation fields.

Chernyshenko, for his part, described Việt Nam as a top significant partner of Russia in the Asia-Pacific, especially in Southeast Asia.

He stressed that Russia wished to further deepen ties in fields of potential and demand. He also pledged to further promote the efficiency of free trade agreement between Việt Nam and the Eurasian Economic Union.

Concluding the meeting, the two deputy PMs signed the minutes of the meeting and agreed that the next meeting would be held in Việt Nam next year. -VNA/VNS