The two sides reviewed the implementation of the minute of the 18th meeting and discussed measures to accelerate bilateral economic-trade cooperation in the years ahead, as the Viet Nam-Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is set to take effect from October 5.

Both sides agreed that bilateral trade and investment ties over the past year have grown remarkably in an array of economic sectors, with two-way trade hitting US$1.56 billion in the first seven months of 2016, up 30% year on year. In regards to investment, Russia is operating 113 directly invested projects worth US$1.1 billion in Viet Nam as of June 2016, while Vietnamese companies are running 20 projects worth US$2.93 billion in Russia.

The leaders discussed specific measures to implement cooperation programmes in the fields of energy, mining, banking and finance, information and communication, science and technology, and education and training. They also agreed to boost the imports of each other’s farming products and to promptly negotiate an agreement on food safety concerning those imported produces.

Concluding the meeting, the two deputy PMs signed the minute of the 19th session of the Viet Nam-Russia Intergovernmental Committee for Economic-Commercial and Scientific-Technological Cooperation.

Early on September 22, Deputy PM Trinh Dinh Dung and the Vietnamese delegation left Saint Petersburg, concluding their working visit to Russia. In the next days, the deputy PM will pay a working visit to Germany’s Berlin and Munich.

By Vien Nhu

Source: Chinhphu.vn