Deputy Foreign Minister of Norway Marianne Hagen (2nd R) and Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam Grete Lochen (R) welcome Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc and his spouse (L) at Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. —  VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

OSLO —  Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc arrived in Oslo on late May 23 (local time), starting his official trip to the country at the invitation of his Norwegian counterpart Erna Solberg.

The Vietnamese PM and his entourage were welcomed at the Oslo Gardermoen Airport by State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway Marianne Hagen, Norwegian Ambassador to Việt Nam Grete Lochen, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Norway Nguyễn Hồng Cường, among other Norwegian and Vietnamese officials.
The trip took place as the two nations are about to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations (1971 – 2021). This is the first official visit by a Vietnamese PM to Norway since 1999, aiming to reaffirm the strong bilateral ties as well as boost friendship and cooperation toward effectiveness and practical outcomes.
As scheduled, PM Phúc will hold talks and meet a number of Norwegian leaders, attend the Việt Nam – Norway business forum, and visit and receive representatives of Norwegian enterprises.
Prior to his arrival in Norway, Phúc paid a four-day official visit to Russia, during which he held talks with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, and witnessed the signing of 14 cooperation pacts between the two nations in economy, trade, environmental protection, renewable energy, culture, and tourism, among others. The two leaders also attended the opening ceremony of the Việt Nam Year in Russia and Russia Year in Vietnam.
The Vietnamese government leader also held meetings with President Vladimir Putin, Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin, and Chairwoman of the Federation Council (upper house) of the Federal Assembly of Russia Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko. 
PM Phúc and Russian Deputy PM Maxim Akimov attended and delivered their speeches at the Việt Nam– Russia Business Forum.
Phúc also held receptions for representatives of the association of Russian veterans who once fought in Vietnam, the Việt Nam – Russia Friendship Association, the Vietnamese Embassy, and Kaspersky Lab company.

He also attended a ceremony marking the inaugural operation of the Vietnamese-invested T&T Russia Co. Ltd and another celebrating the 15 years of the opening of the direct Hà Nội – Moscow air route. — VNS