Participants highly valued the visit, the first foreign trip by Phuc as the Prime Minister of Vietnam, saying that cooperation with Vietnam and ASEAN in general is a priority in Russia’s “Turn to the East” policy. Vietnam also helps Russia diversify its trade relations in the Southeast Asian region, avoiding much dependence on China’s economy, they said.
The Vietnam- Russia traditional friendship reflects the mutual trust and understanding between the two nations in the fields of politics, economy and culture, said Dmitry Mosyakov from the institute. He noted that during the visit, the two nations’ leaders will focus their discussions on economic cooperation, especially nuclear power, oil refinery, agriculture and military engineering projects. Numerous reports highlighting the perspective of the bilateral relations were heard during the event, particularly in energy, culture and education.
Vietnam and Russia inked a joint statement on lifting their ties to the strategic partnership on March 1, 2001. And on July 27, 2012, they issued another joint statement on enhancing their comprehensive strategic partnership. Political relations between the nations have been continually consolidated on the basis of mutual trust as evidenced by regular all-level delegations exchanged.
The two nations have shared viewpoints on a number of regional and international issues, closely coordinated and supported each other at international forums..Bilateral economic cooperation has strongly developed over the past years but still remains far behind potential. Vietnam and Russia recognised each other’s market economy in 2007. Russia currently ranks 17th among 101 countries and territories investing in Vietnam with 106 projects worth nearly 2 billion USD, focusing on the mining, processing, and manufacturing industries.
The Viet Nam-Russia relations have been built on a firm basis of long-lasting friendship and the two countries have signed a number of high-level agreements to consolidate such basis despite challenges and historical changes. The two sides established diplomatic relations in January 1950 and upgrade the bilateral ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2001 and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2012.
Both sides have also coordinated closely and supported each other at international forums as well as pushed up cooperation within ASEAN-Russia framework. Since 2008, Viet Nam and Russia set up an annual strategic diplomatic-defense-security dialogue mechanism at foreign ministerial level.
Bilateral cooperation in such areas like education-training, science-technology, culture and tourism has been accelerated. Russia grants nearly 900 scholarships for Vietnamese students each year. As many as 400,000 Russian visitors travelled to Viet Nam last year.
Russia continues to be a provider of modern weapons and military equipment for Viet Nam to protect its national sovereignty and security. Russian Ambassador to Viet Nam Konstantin Vasilievich Vnukov affirmed that the development of relations with Viet Nam, a long-term and reliable partner of Russia, is one of the most crucial directions of Russia’s diplomatic policy for the Asia-Pacific region.
