Minsk (VNA) – Chairwoman of theNational Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan met with Belarusian Prime Minister SergeyNikolayevich Rumas on December 13 as part of her ongoing official visit to theEuropean country.

The Belarusian PM said the exchange of visits bysenior officials over the past time has created a firm foundation for the twocountries to strengthen bilateral cooperative ties.

He described Vietnam as a friend and strategicpartner of Belarus in Southeast Asia as the country’s socio-economicdevelopment strategies are completely compatible and similar to those ofBelarus such as technological reform and high-tech development.

The PM thanked Vietnam for always supporting hiscountry’s initiatives at the global arena and the United Nations, adding thatthe two sides share similar viewpoints on international issues.

He suggested the two countries seek newcooperation orientations to boost economic and trade partnership and proposedVietnam grant licenses for Belarus to export meat, milk and agriculturalproducts to the Southeast Asian market.

The PM recommended promoting cooperation inautomobile manufacturing. Belarus has experience and high technology in thisfield, and it had inaugurated a joint venture producing trucks in Vietnam inSeptember 2019. The Belarusian Government is now creating the best conditionsfor this joint venture’s activities, and hopes the Vietnamese counterpart willdo the same, he added.

Belarus is also willing to assist Vietnam withtraining scientists in machinery and high technology, according to the PM.

NA Chairwoman Ngan extended the best regards andinvitation from Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to the Belarusian PM to pay anofficial visit to Vietnam.

She said Vietnam always attaches greatimportance to traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Belarus.

The top legislator thanked Belarusian people fortheir valuable support for Vietnam in the past national liberation and reunification,as well as the current construction and development.

She suggested the two sides cooperate in suchpotential fields as farm produce processing, agricultural machines, and automobileassembly and production, adding that Vietnam is willing to create allfavourable conditions for the operation of Maz Asia, the first automobile jointventure inaugurated in the northern province of Hung Yen in September thisyear.

Vietnam welcomes Belarusian businesses to investin the country and will facilitate their long-term and stable investment, Nganstressed.

Pointingout that bilateral trade was only 92.2 million USD last year, she said the twosides need to work out measures to do away with the current difficulties andlook for cooperation chances so as to bring it to 500 million USD in the yearsto come. Besides, they should also continue perfecting the legal basis to boostbilateral trade and investment, as well as implement the agreements signed andlook for new cooperation fields.

Thetop legislator expressed her hope that Belarus will facilitate Vietnam inincreasing the export of its traditional products to the European country. Shealso asked the two sides to maintain their regular cultural exchanges and boostup bilateral cooperation in science and technology.

Vietnamhopes Belarus to further facilitate the entry and exit by Vietnamese citizens,she said and thanked the Belarusian leader for creating favourable conditionsfor the Vietnamese community in the host country.

Nganalso expressed her hope that PM Rumas and his government will continuesupporting the stance of Vietnam and ASEAN in settling disputes by peacefulmeans.

Thehost leader, for his part, said Vietnam’s current approach in boostingbilateral economic relations and trade is right, adding Belarus will createevery condition for its firms to come to Vietnam.

Atthe meeting, the two sides also exchanged ideas on a number of issues of mutualconcern./.