President Trần Đại Quang (R) yesterday receives the ambassadors of New Zealand Wendy Irene Matthews. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sáng

HÀ NỘI – President Trần Đại Quang yesterday received the ambassadors of New Zealand, Timor Leste, Cote d’Ivoire, Rwanda and Slovenia.
At a reception for New Zealand Ambassador Wendy Irene Matthews, President Quang expressed his delight at growing Việt Nam-New Zealand ties since the two countries set up their comprehensive partnership in 2009 and issued a joint statement on their comprehensive partnership towards a strategic partnership in 2015.
He proposed the two should define a roadmap for their strategic partnership, while co-ordinating in the building of the Việt Nam-New Zealand action programme and organise the sixth session of the Joint Committee for Economic and Trade soon.
He said he hopes the ambassador will strengthen co-operation between ministries, sectors, localities and businesses of both sides to raise two-way trade to US$1.7 billion  in 2020.
Việt Nam, as the chair of APEC Year 2017, hoped for continued co-operation from New Zealand for the event, he said. The President took the occasion to invite New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English to visit Việt Nam and attend the APEC Summit Week 2017.
Ambassador Matthews highlighted the potential for Việt Nam and New Zealand to lift their ties to a strategic partnership as they have a firm foundation for co-operation in politics, economics and defence.
Welcoming Timor Leste’s Pascoela Barreto dos Santos, President Quang stated that Việt Nam attaches much importance to the partnership with Timor Leste and wishes to further ties bilaterally and multilaterally.
The State leader said he hoped Timor Leste would continue facilitating Viettel Group’s operation, affirming that Việt Nam welcomes Timor Leste businesses.

Timor Leste encouraged Vietnamese firms, especially those in telecommunications, to invest in the country, the Timor Leste diplomat said.
At a meeting with Ambassador of Cote d’Ivoire Dosso Adama, Quang lauded the African country’s co-operation with Việt Nam at international forums, expressing his hope that Cote d’Ivoire will support Vietnamese Ambassador and President’s Special Envoy Phạm Sanh Châu to run for the post of UNESCO Director General for 2017-2021 as well as Việt Nam’s candidacy for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council.
Ambassador Dosso Adama asserted that there is room for both sides to boost their co-operation, vowing to work hard to make ties more fruitful. He added that his country is interested in importing more goods from Việt Nam.
Congratulating Rwanda Ambassador Charles Kayonga on his new position, Quang affirmed that Việt Nam values traditional friendship with African friends, including Rwanda, especially in health care, education and agriculture.
Ambassador Kayonga said he hopes Việt Nam will share with Rwanda its development experience, adding that his country welcomes Vietnamese businesses to the country.
At a reception for Slovenian Ambassador Janez Premoze, the State leader underlined the significance of partnership with Slovenia, expressing pleasure at bilateral trade.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade is forming a Việt Nam Subcommittee under the Việt Nam-Slovenia Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic Cooperation, he revealed, asking the two sides hold the first session of the committee in the first half of 2017 to bolster trade and investment affiliation.
President Quang also proposed the two countries step up negotiations for a double taxation avoidance agreement and an agreement on recognizing the qualifications and certificates of each other, while asking for Slovenia’s contributions to the signing of the Việt Nam-EU free trade agreement and the EU’s recognition of Việt Nam’s market economy. -VNS