Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Thị Thanh Trà holds a reception for Aida Balayeva, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan in Hà Nội.on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo An Đăng

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam and Kazakhstan should step up the sharing of experience in developing culture and cultural industries, viewing them as a source of soft power and a decisive driving force for national development, Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Thị Thanh Trà told Aida Balayeva, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan.

At a reception in Hà Nội on Wednesday for the Kazakh official, who is on a working visit to Việt Nam, Trà spoke highly of Kazakhstan’s economic achievements amid global challenges, particularly its efforts to diversify the economy beyond oil and promote the development of industry and services.

She briefed the guest on Việt Nam’s strong economic growth in recent years, saying that the country is also actively restructuring its economy toward science and technology, innovation and digital transformation.

Trà highlighted the sound friendship between Việt Nam and Kazakhstan over nearly 35 years, particularly since the bilateral ties were elevated to a new level during the visit to Kazakhstan in May 2025 by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) Central Committee Tô Lâm.

She suggested the two sides further tap cooperation potential in investment, transport, logistics, agriculture, technology and digital transformation, noting that bilateral trade has shown positive signs, rising by around 37 per cent year on year.

She called for stronger people-to-people exchanges, local cooperation and tourism, noting that nearly 200,000 Kazakh tourists visited Việt Nam in 2025 following the visa exemption policy for ordinary passport holders.

For her part, Balayeva said Kazakhstan’s newly adopted Constitution, for the first time, incorporates the concept of culture and places particular emphasis on human resources development.

She expressed her desire to strengthen cooperation with Việt Nam in healthcare, sports, education and training, cinema and particularly tourism.

Việt Nam has emerged as a new top-choice travel destination for Kazakh tourists, the Kazakh official noted, expressing her hope that Vietnamese travel companies will visit Kazakhstan and familiarise themselves with its tourism market.

Looking toward the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027, the two sides agreed to coordinate in organising practical and meaningful activities to mark the occasion.

Referring to the “Kazakhstan Cultural Day” artistic programme that would be performed in Việt Nam on Wednesday evening, Trà expressed her confidence that the event would contribute to promoting Kazakhstan’s cultural values and identity among the Vietnamese people. — VNA/VNS