Vietnam and Belarus signed a joint communiqué confirming their determination to boost bilateral economic and trade ties to match the two countries’ potential. The joint communiqué was made during Dung’s visit to Belarus from May 15-17, at the invitation of his Belarusian counterpart Mikhail Myiasnikovich.

According to the joint communiqué, the two sides will take necessary steps to further strengthen and expand cooperation in politics, economics, trade, investment, national defense, security, education-training, science-technology, culture, tourism and sports.  The communiqué also says the Governments of the two countries will further boost activities of bilateral inter-governmental committees to develop Vietnam–Belarus ties in concrete fields. The two sides also reached a consensus on increasing Vietnam’s export of farm produce, seafood, rubber, garments, footwear and pharmaceuticals to Belarus to ensure bilateral trade balance.

The Belarusian side undertook to create possible favorable conditions for Vietnam–Belarus joint-ventures to be set up in the European country to process imports from Vietnam, including coffee, tea and traditional medicines.

The Vietnamese side pledged to facilitate joint-venture projects on assembling products imported from Belarus and exploiting mineral mines in Vietnam and other countries. Also, Vietnam will make it easier for Belarus’s fertilizer, tractors, agricultural machinery and tires to be imported into Vietnam. The Belarusian side also promised to create all possible favorable conditions for Vietnamese citizens to live and work in the country within the country’s laws.

Both the two sides hailed the success of the first round of negotiations on the free trade area agreement between Vietnam and the Union of Customs. They also expressed their readiness to boost the signing of the agreement.

Vietnam and Belarus agreed to the United Nations’ central and coordinating role in maintaining global security and dealing with global threats and challenges. The two sides also agreed to protest against the politicisation of human rights and affirmed that they would strengthen cooperation in global and regional security issues, anti-terrorism and climate change, among others.

They expressed their support for the settlement of any disputes in the East Sea by peaceful means in line with international law in order to maintenance of peace and stability, maritime safety and security in the area.