Hanoi (VNA) – Cooperation prospects between Vietnam and Russia in the fields ofindustry, energy, information and technology and agricultural exports werediscussed at several workshops held in the framework of the 28th Vietnam International Trade Fair (Vietnam Expo 2018) in Hanoi from April 9-11.

The events were attended by representatives from the Eurasian EconomicCommission’s Department for Industrial Policy, and many Russian corporationssuch as Russian Railways Logistics JSC, Alfa Robotics, Intelligent SecuritySystems and GOST group.

How to apply new technologies and artificial intelligence in Vietnam in aneffective way as well as opportunities for Vietnamese education and healthcareto access the world’s scientific achievements were tabled for discussion, alongwith measures to promote cooperation between Vietnamese and Russianenterprises.

According to DoanDuy Khuong, Vice President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry,Russia has long-standing relations and close cooperation with Vietnam, its onlystrategic partner in the Asia-Pacific. Economy and trade have been always thehighlights in the bilateral cooperation after the two countries upgraded theirties to a strategic partnership in 2001.

Four pillars in the cooperation are trade, investment, oil and gas and electricitypower. The bilateral economic ties have been elevated to a new height thanks tothe free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU),which took effect in October, 2016.

Russia holds strengths in economy, finance and technology while Vietnam has advantagesin human resources, natural resources and geographical location along with itsstable politics-economy-society.

Those strengths, once combined, will help consolidate the strategic cooperationbetween the two countries, Khuong stated.

In the past years, Vietnam has reaped crowing achievements in economic reforms,business climate improvement, completion of legal regulations andsimplification of administrative procedures, he said, adding that Vietnam willcontinue with the work to facilitate conditions for foreign investors, particularlythose from Russia.

Khuong said that the Southeast Asian nation is prioritising investment in renewableenergy, support industry, green industry, manufacturing mechanics, petrochemical,pharmaceuticals, information and technology, education, healthcare and tourism,among others.

The VCCI pledged support for the Russian Embassy, trade representative officesand trade promotion organisations to connect companies of both sides, Khuongstressed.-VNA