Russian PM Medvedev’s official visit expected to boost strategic partnership with VN

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (left) and his Russian counterpart Medvedev on the sidelines of the 31st ASEAN Summit in Manila, the Philippines, November 14, 2017 – Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu

Since 2001, the two countries have exchanged 24 high-level visits, including President V. Putin’s official visit to Viet Nam in 2013, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s official visits to Russia in 2014 and 2018, PM Medvedev’s official visit to Viet Nam in 2015, State President Tran Dai Quang’s official visit to Russia in 2017 and PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s official visit to Russia in 2016. 

In 2008, Viet Nam and Russia began the annual Strategic Dialogue on Diplomacy-Defense-Security at deputy foreign minister level.

The two sides established the deputy ministerial-level defense strategic dialogue in 2013. 

Both sides have been unanimous in a wide range of international and regional issues and maintained close coordination and mutual support at international forums such as the United Nations, APEC and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), backed each other to win seat on the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and promoted cooperation within the ASEAN-Russia framework. 

Viet Nam has actively backed Russia to officially join the ASEM in October 2010 and the East Asia Summit (EAS) in 2011. 

Regarding defense-security cooperation, Viet Nam and Russia have maintained the Inter-Governmental Committee on Military Technical Cooperation at deputy ministerial level.  

The defense strategic dialogue at deputy minister level was organized in 2013, 2016 and 2017. 

VN-Russia economic, trade relations promoted 

The two-way trade value increases from US$0.87 billion in 2006 to US$3.55 billion in 2017.

The economic and trade ties between Viet Nam and Russia have positively developed, however, they have yet matched with the two sides’ potentials. 

Since 1992, the two countries have organized annual meeting of the Inter-governmental Committee on economic, trade and science-technology cooperation . 

The Viet Nam-Russia business council was formed to support trade and investment promotion for the two nations’ business communities. The two sides have recognized each other as a market economy in 2007. 

Viet Nam and the Eurasian Economic Union (including Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Russia) officially signed the Free Trade Agreement in May 2015 and the agreement came into effect since October 5, 2016. 

The two-way trade value increased from US$0.87 billion in 2006 to US$3.55 billion in 2017. 

Russia has ranked 23rd among nations and territories investing in Viet Nam with the total registered capital of US$990 million in 116 projects, focusing on petroleum, industry, manufacturing, energy, transport, telecommunications and fishing. 

Meanwhile, Viet Nam has invested in 22 projects in Russia with the total capital of nearly US$3 billion. 

Russia-key tourism market of VN

The number of Russian visitors to Viet Nam sets a new record of 570,000 in 2017.

Cultural exchanges have been organized usually between the two nations. The Culture Days have been held annually in Viet Nam and Russia. 

Russia is listed among the 10 markets with the highest growth of tourists to Viet Nam. The number of Russian visitors to Viet Nam in 2017 increased 32% against the pervious year, reaching 570,000. 

In the field of science-technology cooperation, the two nations have launched nearly 60 projects in technology research and transfer. Science research and cooperation within the framework of the Viet Nam-Russia Tropical Centre have brought a number of positive achievements. 

The two nations’ localities have established cooperative relationship, especially between Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City and Moscow and Saint Petersburg. 

In November 2013, Ha Noi-Moscow cultural, trading and hotel centre opened in Moscow. 

Since 1991, more than 100 cooperative documents were inked in fields of economics, trade, investment, petroleum, nuclear electricity, education-training, culture-science, and military techniques. 

By Thuy Dung