Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (r) welcomes Belarusian Deputy PM Igor Lyashenko in Hà Nội yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — The Party and State of Việt Nam treasure relations with Belarus, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has said.

While receiving Belarusian Deputy PM Igor Lyashenko in Hà Nội yesterday, PM Phúc said he appreciated Belarusian leaders and people’s sentiments towards Việt Nam, especially their assistance to natural disaster-affected residents in the central region. He also spoke highly of the co-ordination between the two nations at international organisations and forums, particularly at the UN.

For his part, Lyashenko said trade relations between Việt Nam and Belarus should be used to establish industrial manufacturing joint ventures.

He proposed the two sides establish a joint venture to produce automobile tyres in Belarus using Việt Nam’s rubber materials for export to member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union and a joint venture to produce potassium fertiliser in Việt Nam.

Lyashenko said Belarus and Việt Nam will inaugurate a truck manufacturing factory in the northern province of Hưng Yên Province today. Belarus will also deploy a joint venture project to manufacture buses to serve Việt Nam’s demand, he added.

The Belarusian Deputy PM expressed his belief that with efforts from both sides, bilateral trade turnover will reach the target of US$500 million this year.

While hailing the results of earlier talks between Deputy PM Igor Lyashenko and his Vietnamese counterpart Vương Đình Huệ, PM Phúc believed the two sides would have successful co-operation programmes.

Việt Nam is willing to create favourable conditions for the truck manufacturing joint venture in Hưng Yên Province to operate effectively and reach ASEAN markets, he said.

The Vietnamese Government has paid due attention to automobile manufacturing, PM Phúc said, noting that the co-operation between the two countries in this field has many bright prospects.

He said he hoped the joint venture would increase the localisation rate to 50 per cent and suggested Belarus soon establish a joint venture with Việt Nam to produce automobile tyres and step up bilateral co-operation in ore processing.

Speaking to the Belarusian Deputy PM earlier yesterday, Deputy PM Huệ said Việt Nam treasured the friendship and multifaceted co-operation between the two countries.

Lyashenko said Belarus considers its ties with Việt Nam a priority in  foreign relations in Southeast Asia and Asia, and expressed his hope that Việt Nam will succeed as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council IN 2020-21 and Chair of ASEAN in 2020.

The two Deputy PMs discussed measures to enhance  economic, commercial and investment co-operation, including implementing Free Trade Agreement between Việt Nam and the Eurasian Economic Union.

They also expressed their hopes for better collaboration in science, education, national defence and security.

A meeting was held late yesterday in Hà Nội by the Vietnam-Belarus Friendship Association to celebrate the cultural exchanges between the two countries. — VNS