Vietnamese Minister of Information and Communications Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng is welcomed by Prime Minister of Timor Leste Taur Matan Ruak. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Timor Leste always appreciates the support from Việt Nam for his country during the war time and in the past 20 years, Prime Minister of Timor Leste Taur Matan Ruak told the special envoy of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng. 
During a reception on Thursday for Hùng, who is also Vietnamese Minister of Information and Communications, Taur Matan Ruak said Timor Leste greatly admires Việt Nam's efforts and will learn from Việt Nam’s experience.
He highlighted the potential and opportunities for economic cooperation between his country and Việt Nam in the future.
He hailed the development of Telemor – a subsidiary of Việt Nam’s Viettel telecoms group in TimorLeste, which is currently the largest mobile operator in his country, accounting for 54 per cent of the mobile subscriber market share.
The PM said they always support investment and development of foreign companies. 
Minister Hùng, who is on a working visit to the country until September 1, said Việt Nam always attaches importance to the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Timor Leste. 
The Vietnamese Government hopes competent agencies of Timor Leste will continue to create favourable conditions for Telemor to effectively operate, thus contributing to the host country’s socio-economic development, Hùng said.
He proposed the PM complete procedures to set up a joint committee on bilateral cooperation; sign bilateral agreements on visa exemption; complete internal procedures to ratify the bilateral trade agreement between the two countries. 
Việt Nam also hopes Timor Leste will support ASEAN’s central role in the region, especially in security and strategic issues, including ensuring peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea based on respect for international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The same day, Minister Hùng met with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor Leste Dionisio Babo Soares, during which they expressed their hope for stronger cooperation between the two countries, especially economic ties, technology and telecommunication collaboration. 
Minister Hùng presented two scholarship worth US$50,000 each for students of Timor Leste to pursue IT study in Việt Nam in four years. — VNS