Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met on September 26 with Italy’s Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Graziano Delrio, who said his country will be 💫a companion to Vietnam during the course of development.

He rejoiced at the progress seen in bilateral relations since they were lifted to a strategic partnership in January 2013, especially after the Vietnam visits by Italian PM Matteo Renzi in June 2014 and President Sergio Mattarella in November 2015. Italy remains a big trade partner of Vietnam in the EU with bilateral trade growing over the years to 4.3 billion USD in 2015. The PM believes that their economic, trade and investment ties will be strengthened as Italy’s Chamber of Deputies ratified the Vietnam-EU Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation, and Vietnam and the EU are working towards signing and implementing a bilateral free trade agreement. The Vietnamese Government supports Italian firms in making long-term business plans and effectively carrying out projects in Vietnam, particularly in fields the two sides have strength in and demand for such as machinery manufacturing, textile and garment, footwear, wood processing and support industries, he noted. He spoke highly of the outcomes of the talks between Minister Delrio and Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport Truong Quang Nghia, adding that though the ministries inked several cooperation agreements, their collaboration has not been on par with potential. He asked the two Governments to continue facilitating partnerships between their countries’ companies, particularly in transport. Both ministries should increase information exchanges while creating favourable conditions for businesses to engage in transport infrastructure projects through public-private partnership and seek cooperation opportunities in seaport management and operation, seaport infrastructure and services development, and logistics services, PM Phuc said. He also asked Italy to promote the EU’s early signing and ratification of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement and recognition of the market economy mechanism in Vietnam, which, he said, will enhance equal and mutually beneficiary cooperation between the Southeast Asian nation and the EU. The Vietnamese leader also took this chance to ask the visiting minister and the Italian Government to support and participate in the maintaining of navigation and aviation freedom and the promotion of trade in the region and the world. At the meeting in Hanoi, Minister Delrio informed his host about the outcomes of the working session between the two transport ministries. With its experience in infrastructure and transport building and management, Italy is ready to cooperate with Vietnam in building seaports and airports which the ASEAN country is prioritising. The Italian Government is proud to be a major EU partner of Vietnam and always considers the country as an important partner to foster multi-faceted relations with, he noted. Echoing PM Phuc’s view about bilateral cooperation potential, he said his country’s Government is also interested in maintaining navigation and aviation freedom and ensuring trade and global economic development. Italy wants to accelerate joint programmes and projects with Vietnam, especially in aviation and railway.-VNA