Politburo member of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) Phạm Minh Chính (right) talks to Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Lyashenko. — VNA/VNS Photo Phương Hoa

HÀ NỘI — Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Lyashenko affirmed Việt Nam is a long-standing and reliable partner of Belarus while meeting with Politburo member of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) Phạm Minh Chính in Hà Nội on Tuesday.

Lyashenko spoke highly of Việt Nam’s role in the region and said the two countries share similar viewpoints on many regional and international issues.

Việt Nam and Belarus hold a lot of potential for co-operation, he said, adding that the bilateral traditional friendship was a firm foundation for stronger collaboration in all fields in the future.

He suggested the two countries have new approaches to promote economic and trade ties such as boosting joint venture production and processing, striving to realise the target of US$500 million in two-way trade.

The Deputy PM proposed Việt Nam make it easier for projects such as automobile production and assembly joint venture MAZ ASIA, and a milk production joint venture to operate effectively to reach the markets of other ASEAN countries, thus bringing benefits to both sides.

Chính, who is also Secretary of the CPV Central Committee and Chairman of the CPV Central Committee’s Commission for Organisation, said the Vietnamese Party, State and people always attached great importance to developing traditional friendship and sound co-operation with Belarus.

He said the current visit to Việt Nam by the Belarusian Deputy PM would create a new driving force for the two nations to strengthen bilateral relations.

The Party official thanked Belarus for supporting Việt Nam’s bid to become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-21 term, and hoped the two countries would closely co-ordinate and help each other at both regional and international multilateral mechanisms.

Chính noted that Việt Nam and Belarus were actively implementing the Free Trade Agreement between Việt Nam and the Eurasian Economic Union, saying the two nations were optimising advantages of the deal to expand bilateral economic, trade and investment co-operation. — VNS