Party leader Tô Lâm and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin had talks in Moscow on May 8. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

MOSCOW — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Tô Lâm met with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Moscow on Thursday, saying Việt Nam attaches special importance to the traditional friendship and is ready to cooperate closely with Russia to elevate bilateral relations.

Welcoming the General Secretary and high-ranking delegation of Việt Nam, the host hailed the significance of the visit, especially amid major anniversaries of each country and their relations, and considered it a contribution to the time-tested friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Russia always views Việt Nam as one of its leading partners in Asia-Pacific, he stated, recalling his visit to Việt Nam in January this year.

General Secretary Lâm mentioned the Russian PM’s official visit to Việt Nam in January and President Vladimir Putin’s state visit in June 2024. He said the trip this time reflects the Vietnamese Party and State’s high regard for the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia, as well as both sides’ strong political determination to further intensify bilateral relations.

He emphasised that the Party, State, and people of Việt Nam always treasure and keep in mind the precious support from the former Soviet Union and today’s Russia to the struggle for national liberation in the past and the national construction and safeguarding process at present.

A view of the meeting. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

The Party leader proposed the two sides continue enhancing the comprehensive strategic partnership by further strengthening political trust through increased mutual visits at all levels, improving the efficiency of the Inter-governmental Committee and its member working groups, and bolstering defence – security cooperation.

He also suggested further reinforcing collaboration in energy – oil and gas, along with nuclear energy; expanding ties to the field of new energy, particularly clean energy, renewable energy, and wind power; further promoting economic, trade, and investment cooperation and cooperation effectiveness; and stepping up partnerships in the fields in which they have traditional relations and advantages such as education-training, science-technology, locality-to-locality links, transport, and tourism.

Besides, favourable conditions should also be created for the Vietnamese people to live, study, and work stably in Russia, he added.

The two leaders discussed measures for enhancing political trust and expanding bilateral cooperation, especially in the areas matching their countries’ strengths and potential such as energy, trade and investment, defence industry, transport, high technology, artificial intelligence, digital economy, education and training, culture, tourism, locality-to-locality ties, and people-to-people exchanges.

They agreed to keep promoting collaboration between Vietnamese and Russian ministries, sectors, localities, and businesses, remove trade and investment barriers, and facilitate the joint projects in the areas of energy, industry, high-tech agriculture, logistics, and digital transformation.

PM Mikhail Mishustin affirmed that the Russian Government will coordinate with its Vietnamese counterpart to carry out the decisions made at the highest level. — VNA/VNS