Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (right) receives Kazakhstani lower house chairman Nurlan Nigmatulin on Thursday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc hosted a reception in Hà Nội on Thursday for Nurlan Nigmatulin, Chairman of the Mazhilis (lower house) of the Parliament of Kazakhstan – one of the five members of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) that shares a free trade agreement with Việt Nam.

PM Phúc said he believed that the visit would open up a new chapter in bilateral relations.

Nigmatulin said that Việt Nam was an important partner of Kazakhstan in Southeast Asia.

He told his host that his talks with Vietnamese National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân were successful, during which the two sides agreed to boost partnerships their countries.

Asserting that Việt Nam and Kazakhstan had high potential for co-operation, especially in agriculture, light industry, transport, logistics and tourism, he said he hoped that more Vietnamese firms would seek business opportunities in Kazakhstan.

PM Phúc said that Việt Nam hoped Kazakhstan would actively support peace, stability and development, as well as the settlement of disputes through peaceful measures and diplomatic negotiations with respect for international law.

The PM said the enforcement of the 2016 Việt Nam-EAEU FTA had resulted in progress in trade and investment collaboration between Việt Nam and Kazakhstan.

Two-way trade rose from US$200 million in 2017 to $268 million in 2018, and was likely to be higher in 2019, he noted.

He stressed the need to increase exchanges among businesses from both side and the organisation of trade fairs, exhibitions and business forums, thus bolstering co-operation in investment and areas of potential such as agriculture, education-training, science-technology, culture-sport and tourism.

Noting that Việt Nam's aviation sector was growing strongly, the PM welcomed the opening of a new air route between the two countries.

The Kazakh legislator said the Parliament of Kazakhstan would prioritise and support trade connections between the two countries, especially through a railway system from Việt Nam to Kazakhstan and Europe via China, while giving favourable conditions for businesses on both sides to exploit the EAEU-Việt Nam FTA. — VNS