Promoting Vietnam-Russia strategic partnership

Hai has been invited by First Deputy Prime Minister Igo igor Shuvalov. Vietnam-Russia relations were lifted to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership during State President Truong Tan Sang’s visit to Russia in July.

Since 2007, both sides have given priority to strengthening their strategic partnership through regular diplomacy-security-defence dialogue.

President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev have appreciated Vietnam’s important role in the East Asia and Asia-Pacific regions and always wish to strengthen ties with the country and penetrate deeper into the Association of Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

Vietnam-Russia two-way trade has grown considerably over the years, reaching nearly US$2.2 billion in the past seven months. Both sides are set to raise the annual turnover to US$5 billion in 2015 and US$10 billion in 2022.

In early 2013, Vietnam and the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia will start negotiations for a free trade agreement.