Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng (r) welcomes Mongolian Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry Ulaan Chultem in Hà Nội on Friday. — Photo baochinhphu.vn

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng held a reception in Hà Nội on Friday for Mongolian Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry Ulaan Chultem, who is in Hà Nội to attend the 17th meeting of the Việt Nam-Mongolia Inter-Governmental Committee for Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation.

Dũng noted that the traditional relationship between Việt Nam and Mongolia was growing in all fields including politics, economy, trade and culture, reflected through people-to-people diplomacy and regular meetings at all levels.

He welcomed the Mongolian minister’s visit which takes place at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 65th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties.

Dũng said that economic, trade and investment partnerships between the two countries had yet to meet their potential.

Last year, two-way trade reached only US$31.5 million, down 53.6 per cent over 2017, he noted, stressing the need for both sides to maintain the regular exchange of delegations and high-level meetings, and promote the efficiency of the inter-governmental committee mechanism.

The Deputy PM expressed his hope that both sides would focus on dealing with problems during the co-operation process, while strengthening connections between business communities and markets, considering the opening of a direct air route between the two countries and creating favourable conditions for enterprises from both sides to foster partnerships.

For his part, UlaanChultem said that during the 17th meeting of the Việt Nam-Mongolia Inter-Governmental Committee for Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, the two sides agreed on important measures to further bolster economic, trade and investment cooperation towards the goal of $100 million in two-way trade in 2020.

He suggested Việt Nam and Mongolia strengthen trade exchanges and open up to each other’s goods, thus optimising the potential and advantages of each country.

Mongolia hoped to import rice, coffee, vegetable oil, confectionery products, eggs, poultry and aquatic products from Việt Nam, and export coal, frozen meat and leather, he said. — VNS