Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his spouse arrive in Moscow for official visit to Russia.

In an interview granted to Russia’s news agency TASS on the occasion of his official visit to the country from May 20-23, PM Phuc highlighted the mutual political trust with a range of meetings and delegation exchanges, especially high-level ones, and various specific, effective cooperation activities.

The two sides have stepped up exchanges through all channels, from the Party to administration, the National Assembly and localities, and set up a series of dialogue and collaboration mechanisms, he said.

According to the leader, the visits by high-ranking leaders of the two countries have created momentum for the bilateral cooperation across spheres.

He mentioned the Vietnam-Russia and Russia-Vietnam Year in 2019 and 2020 which, he said, will contribute to tightening the close ties between the two peoples and deepening the bilateral collaboration in a pragmatic and effective manner.

Regarding the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union that came into force in October 2016, the PM said the deal has helped to boost economic and trade links between Vietnam and Russia.

He added that bilateral trade grew by 31 percent in 2017 to 3.55 billion USD, and rose to 4.57 billion USD in 2018, a year-on-year rise of 28.6 percent.

In the first quarter of 2019, two-way trade was 1.13 billion USD, increasing by 10.65 percent against the same period last year.

Along with the growing trade, investment cooperation between the two countries continues to expand, with new large-scale projects emerging in oil and gas, and energy sectors, PM Phuc noted.

Progress has also been made in partnerships in education-training, science-technology, culture, sports and tourism, as well as affiliation between localities of the two countries, he added.

PM Phuc said that during the visit, he and his host Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will review the development of bilateral relations over the past time, including the implementation of agreements reached by high-ranking leaders of the two countries.

They will exchange views on concrete orientations and measures to solve current problems standing on the path of cooperation, especially in economy, trade and investment.

The leaders will look into major joint projects, covering the construction of a research centre of science-technology and nuclear, oil and gas, energy and transport infrastructure in Vietnam, and Russia’s assistance in e-government building in the Southeast Asian country.

During the talks, they will also discuss some international and regional issues of shared concern.

The visit is expected to deepen the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership, meeting the practical interests of the two peoples, PM Phuc said.

The leader emphasised that Vietnam and Russia hold optimal potential for collaboration in such areas as energy and oil and gas, education-training, tourism, information-technology, telecommunications and employment.

He, however, pointed out that partnerships in some realms like agriculture have yet to match potential and aspirations of the two countries.

The PM said energy and military technology are important pillars of the comprehensive strategic partnership, adding that the two sides are expanding cooperation in the energy sector with various projects.

The above-mentioned research centre holds strategic importance in the application of atomic energy to Vietnam’s peaceful purposes, he noted. -VNA