Dodoma (VNA) – DeputyPrime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has affirmed that Vietnam always treasures andwants to expand mutually-beneficial cooperation with African countries,including Tanzania.

Dung, who is on a working trip toTanzania from July 9-12, made the statement during meetings with Tanzanian leaders.

On July 10-11, he visited the Zanzibarsemi-autonomous region, paid a courtesy call on its Second Vice President SeifAli Iddi, held a working session with Vice Chairman of the Revolutionary Partyof Tanzania (RPT) Philip Mangula, and attended the Vietnam – Tanzania BusinessForum.

During the meetings, the twosides informed each other about the domestic situation and spoke highly of the bilateralpartnership over the past five decades since the establishment of diplomaticties on February 14, 1965.

Dung highly valued Tanzania’scontributions to peace, stability and cooperation connectivity in the SouthernAfrican Development Community and East African Community and the wholecontinent.

The Tanzanian leaders expressedadmiration for Vietnam’s struggle for national independence and reunification inthe past and national development at current, considering it a source ofinspiration for the Tanzanian people.

Vice Chairman of theRevolutionary Party of Tanzania Mangula wished that Vietnam would support the RPTin personnel training and economic development.

Zanzibar’s Second Vice President Iddithanked Vietnam for presenting 10 rice varieties to the region, and hailed theVietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for its support inbuilding rice development projects, the Research Institute for Oceanography andthe Aquaculture Development Centre in Zanzibar.

Both sides agreed to strengthenclose political ties via the exchange of all-level visits, offer mutual supportat the United Nations and international forums, promote mutually-beneficialties in trade and investment, and make it easier for the two nations’ firms todo business together.

Addressing the Vietnam – TanzaniaBusiness Forum, Dung suggested tapping each other’s potential and expandingcooperation in apparel, agricultural machinery and electronic spare parts apartfrom traditional goods such as cashew nuts and rice.

Vietnam is ready to serve as abridge for Tanzanian goods to enter the ASEAN market and wants Tanzania to makeit easier for Vietnamese products to penetrate into the markets of Tanzania andEastern African nations, he said.

During the stay, the Deputy PMalso visited the Vietnamese Embassy and met overseas Vietnamese living andworking there.-VNA