Vietnam premier leaves Hanoi for Russia on official visit
Monday, May 16, 2016, 13:56 GMT+7
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has left Vietnam for Russia, preparing for his attendance at the ASEAN-Russia Summit scheduled for May 19.
The plane carrying PM Phuc and a delegation of high-ranking Vietnamese officials took off from Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on Monday morning and is scheduled to arrive in Moscow the same day.
This is the first business trip to Russia of the Vietnamese head of government after his appointment in early April.
The premier is also slated to attend the ASEAN-Russia Summit on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of dialogue between the two parties.
ASEAN is short for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a political and economic organization whose members include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
After a welcome ceremony at Vnukovo International Airport, PM Phuc is scheduled to join talks with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev.
The two leaders are also slated to witness the signing ceremony of several important documents and later attend a press conference.
According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the visit of PM Phuc is part of the foreign policy set by the 12th National Party Congress, which was organized in late January.
The trip is aimed at cementing the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia, contributing to an effective and sustainable bilateral cooperation, the ministry added.
The two parties will focus on expediting the execution of major joint projects in certain fields as well as discussing regional and international issues.
According to the Vietnam News Agency, the bilateral trade volume between Vietnam and Russia was recorded at US$2.2 billion in 2015 and $591 million in the first quarter of this year.
Vietnam’s exports to Russia mainly include mobile phones, garments, and agricultural and aquacultural products, while imports from the European country consist of gasoline, steel, fertilizer, and various types of machinery and equipment, the news agency added.
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