Hanoi (VNA) –Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh welcomed CrownPrincess of Sweden Victoria Ingrid Alice Désiree on her official visit toVietnam at a reception held on May 7 in Hanoi.

Minh said the Vietnamese Government and people always treasure the valuable andefficient assistance provided by Sweden.

That assistance has been turned into such works as the Bai Bang paper plant andthe Hanoi children’s hospital, which become a symbol of the friendship betweenVietnam and Sweden, he said.

Crown PrincessVictoria said she is glad to visit Vietnam when the two countries are markingthe 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties and with the first-ever companyof representatives from over 50 leading businesses.

She said the two sides heard businesses’ opinions so to seek to boostcooperation in trade, investment, education, telecommunications, and smart citybuilding, especially in the areas of Sweden’s strengths which are needed byVietnam for her national development.

The Deputy PM expressed his belief that the Swedish businesses accompanying theCrown Princess would land a lot of deals with Vietnamese partners, helping tospur bilateral trade and investment and seize new opportunities to be createdby the upcoming European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Crown Princess Victoria Ingrid Alice Désiree and her spouse are in Vietnam foran official visit from May 6-8 at the invitation of Vice President Dang ThiNgoc Thinh.-VNA