Riga (VNA) – Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinhapplauded recent strides in the Vietnam – Latvia traditional friendship andmultifaceted cooperation, especially in economy-trade, while meeting withLatvian President Raimonds Vejonis in Riga on October 20.

The meeting formed part of the Vietnameseleader’s official visit to the European nation from October 19 to 21.

She noted Vietnam has become the biggestSoutheast Asian trade partner of Latvia with bilateral trade reaching 161million USD in 2016, rising tenfold from 2010. The figure stood at 126 millionUSD in the first nine months of 2017, up 10 percent from a year earlier.

To enhance multifaceted ties, she asked both sidesto soon sign an agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic passport holders andsuggested cooperation measures in terms of politics-diplomacy,trade-investment, education-training, defence-security, and consular affairs.

She took this occasion to deliver President TranDai Quang’s invitation to visit Vietnam to Latvian President Vejonis.

The Latvian leader described Vice PresidentThinh’s trip to his country, which coincides with the 25th founding anniversaryof the countries’ diplomatic ties, a landmark in bilateral relations.

He also expressed his sympathy for Vietnam onthe heavy losses caused by recent floods.

He thanked the Southeast Asian nation forrecognising the alien’s passports of Latvia, which will create favourableconditions for Latvian holders of these passports to enter and exit fromVietnam.

Latvia is ready to support Vietnam to enhancerelations with the European Union (EU), President Vejonis said, lauding theconclusion of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement negotiation. He expressed hishope that the deal will be signed and ratified soon to create a basis forfuture cooperation between Vietnam and the EU, including Latvia.

At the meeting, the two sides also agreed tostrengthen coordination at international and regional forums, especially withinthe framework of the United Nations, increase delegation exchanges at alllevels, and step up ties in education and science-technology, particularly highand green technology.

After a double taxation avoidance agreement, thecountries are about to sign an educational cooperation deal and negotiatereadmission and aviation agreements, thus providing a synchronous legalframework for their all-round partnerships.

Following their meeting, Vice President Thinhand President Vejonis witnessed the signing of an agreement on double taxationavoidance and income tax evasion prevention and an accompanied protocol betweenthe Vietnamese and Latvian Governments. Vietnamese Ambassador to Latvia DoanThi Phuong Dung and Latvian Finance Minister Dana Reizniece Ozola inked thedeal.

Also on October 19, the Vice President visitedthe Riga Technical University, the oldest technical university in the Balticregion.-VNA