Hanoi (VNA) –Vietnam and India should early sign an action programme on implementing thebilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, which was set up in 2016, thusdefining orientations for bilateral cooperation in 2017-2020, Deputy ForeignMinister Bui Thanh Son said.

He made the request at a meeting on April 21 withIndia’s Minister of State for External Affairs Vijay Kumar Singh, who is on anofficial visit to Vietnam from April 20-23. 

The Deputy FM said with the action programme,the two sides can reach measures for boosting cooperation in such prioritisedareas as defence-security, trade and investment, energy, capacity building,technology transfer, and scientific research.

Son welcomed Vijay Kumar Singh’s visit to attendthe first activities of the Vietnam-India Friendship Year 2017, which marks 45years of the countries’ diplomatic ties (January 7, 1972) and 10 years of theirstrategic partnership (July 6, 2007).

Both sides noted with satisfaction the progressin their countries’ relations over the past four and a half decades,particularly the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategicpartnership during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit toVietnam in September last year.

They agreed that the foreign ministries willkeep good coordination to organise major diplomatic activities in theVietnam-India Friendship Year 2017, including delegation exchanges at all levelsbetween the two States, Governments and parliaments, as well as between thepeople.

For his part, Minister of State Vijay Kumar Singhappreciated the contributions Vietnam has made as the coordinator ofASEAN-India relations for 2015-2018.

He noted Vietnam and India have made significantstrides in bilateral ties as seen in the signing of important agreements indefence, atomic energy, cosmology, and information technology.

India will work with Vietnamese ministries andsectors to prepare for mutual high-ranking visits well and speed up theapproval and disbursement of credit packages for Vietnam, he added.

The two sides agreed on the need to tap potentialsand enhance economic, trade and investment partnership, striving to boosttwo-way trade to 15 billion USD by 2020. They urged the joint sub-committee ontrade to convene as soon as possible to promote investment.

Vietnam welcomes Indian investment in energy,oil and gas exploitation, petro-chemistry, software development and ITtraining, textile and garment, and banking, Deputy FM Son said.

At the meeting, the two sides also exchangedviewpoints on regional and international issues of mutual concern. They wereunanimous in maintaining coordination and mutual support at regional andinternational forums such as ASEAN-India cooperation, the RegionalComprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and forums within the framework ofthe United Nations.

Regarding the East Sea issue, they reiteratedthe wish and determination to cooperate to maintain peace, stability, security,safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea on the basis ofinternational law, especially principles in the 1982 UN Convention on the Lawof the Sea.

They underscored the importance of due respectfor the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), voicingthe hope that relevant parties will soon reach a Code of Conduct (COC) in thewaters.-VNA