Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly(NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Belarusian leaders are set to discussways to step up their countries’ traditional friendship and multifacetedcooperation during an official trip to the European nation from December 12 to14.

The first official visit to Belarus byChairwoman Ngan is made at the invitation of Chairman of the Council of theRepublic Mikhail Myasnikovich and Chairman of the House of Representatives ofthe NA of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko.

Greatstrides in bilateral relations

In 2019, the two countries’ relations haveenjoyed strong developments with cooperation enhanced in all spheres.

Their existing cooperation mechanisms consist ofan inter-governmental committee on economic, trade and scientific-technologicalcooperation; an inter-governmental committee on military cooperation; acommittee for scientific and technological cooperation; and a political consultationat the deputy foreign ministerial level.

The countries have cooperated closely andsupported each other at the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement and manyother international forums and organisaions.

Regarding parliamentary ties, the Vietnamese andBelarusian parliaments inked a cooperation agreement in April 2009, creating alegal framework to reinforce ties between the two legislative bodies.

Over the years, the two legislatures have heldregular delegation exchanges, and the Vietnam-Belarus and Belarus-Vietnamfriendship parliamentary groups have been established.

Flourishing economic partnerships

Thanks to both sides’ efforts, bilateral tradehas grown well, from 107.15 million USD in 2014 to 153.4 million USD in justthe first nine months of 2019, including 83.9 million USD worth of goods Belarusexports to Vietnam and 69.5 million USD of good going the other way. Traderevenue is expected to reach 200 million USD this year after standing at around100 million USD for many years.

Vietnam’s main exports to Belarus includeaquatic products, wood items, textile-garment, footwear, rice, natural rubber,cashew, peanuts, peppercorn, tea, canned fruit and vegetables, pharmaceuticals,and computers. Meanwhile, it imports fertilizer, machinery, equipment, carcomponents and spare parts, tractors, trucks and chemicals.

In May 2015, Vietnam and the Eurasian EconomicUnion, of which Belarus is a member, signed a free trade agreement that tookeffect on October 5, 2016.

So far, Belarus has invested in three projectsworth 16.25 million USD in Vietnam. In return, the Southeast Asian nation hasone project worth 1.6 million USD in the wholesale-retail sector in Belarus.

Notably, during the trip to Vietnam by DeputyPrime Minister of Belarus Igor Lyashenko in September 2019, the two sidesinaugurated a truck assembly joint venture MAZ ASIA and signed a document onthe foundation of a dairy product joint venture. These two projects demonstratethe countries’ efforts to switch from trade to partnerships in processing andmanufacturing.

Manyfields of cooperation

Over the years, Belarus has assisted Vietnam inpersonnel training. Security-defence cooperation has been maintained throughdelegation exchanges and the inter-governmental committee on military techniquecooperation. Meanwhile, bilateral collaboration in science and technology hasalso been developing with many fruitful projects.

The countries organised the Belarusian CultureDays in Vietnam in 2014 and 2017 and the Vietnamese Culture Days in Belarus in2015.

The number of Belarusian tourists to Vietnam hasbeen rising fast since Vietnam offered visa exemptions for Belarusians in 2015.In January 2017, the Belarusian President signed a decree allowing citizens of80 countries, including Vietnam, to stay in the nation for five days without avisa.

Additionally, labour cooperation is also one ofthe potential cooperation directions. The countries signed aninter-governmental agreement on fixed-term working visas which came into forcein June 2013.

Locality-to-locality collaboration has also beenstrengthened. Cooperation deals have been inked between many localities,including Hanoi and Minsk; Da Nang and Grodno; Ho Chi Minh City and Minsk;Quang Ninh and Minsk, Grodno and Brest; and Quang Nam and Mogilev.

There are about 500 – 600 Vietnamese people inBelarus at present, and they have received favourable conditions to study,reside and do business in the country. In December 2006, President AlexanderLukashenko permitted Vietnamese nationals who had worked and studied in Belarusbefore 1992 to reside in the country permanently./.