National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man's visit to the Russian Federation will create momentum to promote cooperation and strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

In the first 7 months of 2024, bilateral trade turnover between Vietnam and the Russian Federation reached 2.74 billion USD, up 45.5% over the same period in 2023. Of which, exports reached 1.36 billion USD, up 46.4%; imports reached 1.38 billion USD, up 44.6%. The trade deficit with the Russian Federation reached about 13 million USD.

In the relationship between Vietnam and the Russian Federation, security and defense cooperation is a bright spot, continuing to play a pillar in the bilateral relationship, strengthened in the spirit of trust, substance, efficiency and comprehensiveness.

Oil and gas and energy are traditional strategic cooperation areas, an important pillar of Vietnam - Russia economic cooperation. Currently, the Russian Federation advocates promoting the expansion of cooperation in the fields of green energy, new energy... The two sides continue to maintain cooperation within the framework of the Cooperation Committee on Education, Science and Technology; maintain the granting of scholarships. Cultural, sports and tourism cooperation is actively implemented with the annual and rotating organization of Cultural Days in each country.

In addition, local cooperation between Vietnam and the Russian Federation is an important channel to promote the relationship between the two countries to become more and more substantial. For example, in June 2023, the Statue of President Ho Chi Minh was inaugurated in Saint Petersburg to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Uncle Ho's first visit to Petrograd (now Saint Petersburg). In April 2024, Nghe An province and Ulianov province inaugurated the Statue of Lenin in Vinh city.

Trade cooperation between Vietnam and the Russian Federation has grown positively and gained much momentum.

Mr. Duong Hoang Minh - Trade Counselor of the Vietnam Trade Office in the Russian Federation said that in recent times, trade cooperation between the two countries has grown positively and gained a lot of momentum. The biggest driving force is that both sides have gradually resolved difficulties in transporting goods; maritime transport routes (Vladivostok - Hai Phong - Ho Chi Minh City route), railway transport (Vietnam - China - Russia international railway route) ... have been gradually resolved.

In addition, from June 4, 2023, IAERO Airlines of the Russian Federation will operate direct flights between Russia (Irkusk city) and Vietnam (Hanoi) by Russian aircraft 2 flights/week. Direct flights between Moscow and Ho Chi Minh City of the two countries have been resumed since the end of January 2024. Along with that, currently, the Russian Federation and Vietnam have relaxed visa regulations for each other's citizens (from August 1, 2023, Vietnamese citizens can apply for an electronic visa to Russia, from August 15, Russians can stay in Vietnam for up to 45 days visa-free)... These advantages have been creating opportunities for Vietnam - the Russian Federation to promote trade, investment and tourism cooperation.

Notably, the Vietnam - Russian Federation relationship will have more and more momentum to develop when from September 8-10, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man led a high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly to Vnukovo International Airport, Moscow, to officially visit the Russian Federation and co-chair the 3rd meeting of the Vietnam - Russian Federation Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee.

This is the first official visit of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man to the Russian Federation in his capacity as Chairman of the National Assembly and also the first visit to the Russian Federation by a key leader of the Party and State of Vietnam in 2024.

Therefore, the visit is of great significance, aiming to continue implementing the foreign policy of the 13th National Party Congress; concretizing the resolutions and conclusions of the Politburo on developing the Vietnam - Russian Federation Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The official visit to the Russian Federation by National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man contributes to strengthening comprehensive cooperation between the two countries in all fields of politics, trade and economy, and people-to-people exchange. Photo: Thong Nhat

According to Secretary General of the National Assembly, Head of the National Assembly Office Bui Van Cuong, the visit is one of the practical and effective activities to concretize the Joint Statement on deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on the basis of 30 years of implementing the Treaty on the basic principles of Vietnam - Russia friendship, agreed upon by the leaders of the two countries during President Putin's visit to Vietnam as well as the content on the orientation to promote cooperation discussed and agreed upon between General Secretary and President To Lam and President Putin in a phone call on August 8, 2024.

Commenting on the importance and significance of the visit to the Russian Federation by the Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Russian Federation Dang Minh Khoi said that the visit will contribute significantly to promoting and strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the Russian Federation in general, and the close and good cooperation between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the State Duma (Lower House) and the Federation Council of Russia (upper house) in particular.

“Maintaining high-level visits and contacts between the leaders of the two countries is extremely important and decisive in promoting comprehensive development of bilateral relations, especially in the context of complicated developments in the world and the region as at present. At the same time, it contributes to strengthening comprehensive cooperation between the two countries in all fields of politics, trade and economy and people-to-people exchange,” the Vietnamese Ambassador to the Russian Federation commented, adding that the visit of the Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam to the Russian Federation also shows that the traditional friendship between the two sides continues to be inherited, constantly consolidated and developed in the new situation, meeting the aspirations and expectations of the leaders and people, in accordance with the objective needs of the two countries in the cause of national construction and development of each country in the current period.

However, economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and the Russian Federation is facing great challenges in the context of many difficulties in the world economy. Therefore, the official visit to the Russian Federation by National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man will make an important contribution, creating momentum to promote economic and trade cooperation and consolidate the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and the Russian Federation in general, and the close and good cooperation between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the State Duma and the Federation Council of the Russian Federation Parliament in particular.

It is expected that during his visit to the Russian Federation from September 8-10, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man will hold talks and, together with the Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, chair the Third Session of the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee; hold talks with the Chairman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation and sign a new Cooperation Agreement between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Federation Council. National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man will also meet and interact with senior leaders of the Russian Federation as well as leaders of several major political parties of the Russian Federation; receive a number of local leaders of the Russian Federation that cooperate with Vietnam; meet with representatives of the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association and the Association of Russian Veterans who fought in Vietnam.

Source: Cong Thuong Newspaper