Hanoi (VNA)– The trip to Russia, Norway and Sweden from May 20-28 by Prime Minister NguyenXuan Phuc is a success as it had specific outcomes, cemented traditional bonds,and opened up new cooperation prospects for Vietnam and the countries, DeputyForeign Minister To Anh Dung has said.

The trip showed Vietnam’s relations with the three countries have been growingextensively, he said.

PM Phuc and Russian leaders agreed on strategic orientations and detailedmeasures to step up the countries’ multi-dimensional cooperation toward thetwo-way trade value of 10 billion USD by 2020.

They also agreed to bolster partnership in their conventional cooperationfields like energy, oil and gas, defence-security, and science-technology, andbegin embarking on new cooperative areas, like transport infrastructure, hightechnology, digital technology, smart city and e-government.

Norway and Swedenmade strong pledges to pushing up the early signing, ratification and implementationof important agreements with Vietnam, like the European Union-Vietnam FreeTrade Agreement, Dung said.

With Norway, anarray of initiatives relating to sea-based economy, oil and gas, renewableenergy, green growth, and cooperation in response to climate change and risingsea level were discussed.

During the Sweden visit, the two countries continued discussing an idea onsustainable and innovative development partnership raised during the recent Vietnamvisit by Crown Princess Victoria Ingrid Alice Désiree along with seeking theexpansion of current cooperation fields, Dung said.

Through the trip, the vitality of the Vietnam-Russia relations was confirmed.Russian leaders emphasized many times the special feature and profound trust inthe comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Vietnam, andmentioned Vietnam as their country’s key partner in Southeast Asia and theAsia-Pacific, which provides a solid foundation for the two countries’ broadercooperation in the future, the diplomat said.

Meanwhile, cooperation in sustainable development became the main topic betweenVietnam and Norway and Sweden with discussions dealing with forest andenvironmental protection, plastic waste reduction, and response to climatechange.

The countries’ leaders spoke highly of Vietnam’s role in the region and theworld and asserted their support for the maintenance of peace, security, andstability, and the importance of free navigation and overflight as well as thesettlement of disputes in the East Sea and the region by peaceful means withrespect to international law, and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982.

The trip to Russia,Norway and Sweden by PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc contributed greatly to successfullyrealizing the country’s external policy and international integration, thusenhancing the relations with other countries and bringing more benefits forpeople, the Deputy FM said.-VNA