The consensus was reached at the talks in Buenos Aires on April 16 between Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

The two leaders expressed their delight at the positive developments of cooperative relations between Vietnam and Argentina over the past years and satisfaction at the results of their talks which were conducted in a constructive spirit of friendship and mutual understanding.

They agreed to promote future cooperation in politics, diplomacy, trade, investment, culture, security and national defence in the interests of the two countries’ people.

PM Dung and President Cristina signed a joint statement, showing their determination to increase cooperative relations between the two countries. They also witnessed the signing of an agreement on trade cooperation and economic diplomacy between the two foreign ministries and an agreement on energy cooperation, cultural cooperation programmes in 2010-2012.

The Vietnam Oil and Gas Group and Argentina’s IMPSA Group also signed a project to develop a 1000 MW power plant in the southern province of Binh Thuan and other related projects worth up to US$3 billion.

Earlier, PM Dung and his delegation laid wreaths at the monument of national hero San Martin and met with several major Argentine businesses.

Argentine business investment encouraged in Vietnam

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has called on Argentine companies to boost their investment and business in Vietnam and stressed facilitation for them.
PM Dung made the call at a meeting with leading Argentine businesses in Buenos Aires on April 16 during his current visit to the country aimed at promoting multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries.

The PM expressed his pleasure with increasing bilateral cooperation in many areas, especially trade and investment. Two-way trade between Vietnam and Argentina reached about US$650 million in 2009, a year-on-year increase of 40 percent. In the first quarter of this year, the figure was over US$200 million, five times higher than the same period last year.

He briefed the Argentine business circle on Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements, stressing the government’s strategic measures which paved the way for rapid and sustainable growth in the coming time.

Vietnam has unceasingly exerted efforts to improve its investment climate, even though the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has already listed Vietnam among 15 countries leading in terms of investment environment and attractive destinations for FDI in 2010, PM Dung said.

At the meeting, Argentine business representatives affirmed their desire to enhance investment in Vietnam, particularly in the areas of their strengths such as energy, oil and gas, high-tech, infrastructure construction, husbandry, farm produce processing, agriculture, apparel, footwear, electrics and electronic appliances.