Hanoi (VNA) – Israeli President Reuven Ruvi Rivlinand his spouse left Hanoi on March 25 evening, wrapping up a week-long Statevisit to Vietnam at the invitation of Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang.

During the visit, President Rivlin had talkswith his counterpart Tran Dai Quang and met with the media. He also hadmeetings with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime MinisterNguyen Xuan Phuc.

He met Chairman of the Hanoi People’s CommitteeNguyen Duc Chung and witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding(MoU) on a hi-tech healthcare complex in Hanoi between Vietnam’s TH group andIsrael’s MedicDan Ltd and Staromedic R.N International.

The visiting President also met Chairman of theHo Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong. They witnessed thesigning of another MoU on a financial package worth 200 million USD on healthcare between Israel’s Jasmine Group and local real estate firm Dat Vang.

At the meetings, the two sides affirmed theresolve to enhance cooperation, particularly in economy and science-technology.They voiced the belief that close cooperation between the two Governments andbusiness circles will accelerate the development of bilateral economic andtrade relations.

They agreed to turn economy into the focus andscience-technology into a prioritised pillar of the countries’ cooperation inthe time ahead. They shared the view on the need to boost trade to 3 billionUSD in the next few years.

Israeli President Rivlin pledged to assistVietnam to detoxify Agent Orange-contaminated areas.

The two sides also discussed ways to enhanceties in security-defence, culture, education-training and tourism, along withlocality-to-locality cooperation.

Leaders of Vietnam and Israel said they willincrease meetings at all levels, encourage direct partnerships betweenlocalities, ministries and sectors, and bring into play bilateral cooperationmechanisms such as the inter-governmental committee and politicalconsultations.

They also exchanged views on the East Sea andMiddle East issues, along with other international affairs, stressing thatcooperation plays an important role and is a trend to keep peace and stabilityin the world.

During their stay in Vietnam, President Rivlinand his spouse laid a wreath at the monument to heroic martyrs and visited theMausoleum of late President Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi.

He attended a business forum, a defence industryforum, and a friendship concert between Vietnam and Israel. He witnessed thesigning of a MoU on research and development cooperation between the IsraelInnovation Authority and the National Technology Innovation Fund of Vietnam.

Additionally, the leader visited Ha Long Bay inQuang Ninh province, the hi-tech agricultural project of VinEco Tam Dao in VinhPhuc province, along with the Nguyen Van Troi Primary School in District 4, theclinic of Family Medical Practice in District 1, and a project supporting thedisabled in District 2 of HCM City.-VNA