Hanoi (VNA) – Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam BeatriceMaser Mallor has expressed her delight at the two countries’ relations,stressing that Vietnam and Switzerland have cooperated in multiple spheres.

In an interview given to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of hercountry’s National Day (August 1), the diplomat also said the two countrieshave regularly had routine political consultations, high-ranking visits, andjoint activities at the World Economic Forum in Davos held in January eachyear.

Last April, the Secretary of the Swiss FederalDepartment of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications, DorisLeuthard, paid an official visit to Vietnam, discussing connections in those fieldswith local officials. The two sides signed an aviation cooperation agreement tofacilitate the opening of direct flight routes, including the one linking HoChi Minh City and Zurich this November. This is a chance to boost bilateraltourism and trade links, she noted.

Highlighting the growing trade ties, Mallor saidVietnam has exported many commodities to Switzerland, whose consumers likeVietnamese goods, especially fruits and seafood, very much. The Southeast Asiannation has also imported a number of medical and pharmaceutical products andhigh technologies from Switzerland. Both nations have complimentary advantages.

She voiced her belief that more progress will berecorded in bilateral cooperation once the free trade agreement between Vietnamand the European Free Trade Association – EFTA, which groups Switzerland,Norway, Lichtenstein and Iceland, is reached.

The EFTA members have conducted many negotiationrounds with Vietnam, and they hope to soon finalise the deal, she said, notingthat Switzerland currently ranks fourth among the West European countriesinvesting in Vietnam.

Many Swiss companies like Nestlé, ABB andSchindler have opened branches in Vietnam. If Vietnam maintains the currentgrowth trend, these firms will help demonstrate a friendly investment climate,thus making the country more attractive to businesses from not only Switzerlandbut also other places.

The two countries have cooperated effectively inthis area, but they completely can further enhance this partnership, AmbassadorMallor added.

Switzerland is paying attention to developmentcooperation with Vietnam so as to assist the latter to achieve its targets, shesaid, elaborating that the European nation has been helping Vietnam improve thecompetitiveness and efficiency of its private companies, especially small- andmedium-sized ones. It is also supporting a number of Vietnamese companies intreating water, managing power grid and improving infrastructure.

Switzerland is helping the Vietnamese Ministryof Finance with public finance management and the State Bank of Vietnam withcreating more stable and professional financial services.

Regarding tourism partnership, the diplomataffirmed it will develop in the time ahead with the opening of the Zurich – HCMCity direct flight route, which will help bring more Vietnamese tourists toSwitzerland and vice versa.

About 30,000 Swiss visitors came to Vietnam in2017. If the visa conditions are improved, for example including Switzerland inVietnam’s e-visa system, this number will surely increase in the time to come,she added.-VNA