Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) welcomes Nurlan Nigmatulin, Chairman of the Mazhilis (lower house) of the Parliament of Kazakhstan (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuchosted a reception in Hanoi on November 14 for Nurlan Nigmatulin, Chairman of the Mazhilis (lower house) of theParliament of Kazakhstan – one of the fivemembers of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) that shares a free tradeagreement with Vietnam.
Expressing hisdelight at the growing traditional friendship between the two countries, theVietnamese leader said he believes that the visit of NurlanNigmatulin will open up a new chapter in bilateral relations.
He congratulated Kazakhstan for great achievements that thecountry has made in all fields, raising the country’s position in the worldarena and bringing it closer to the goal of becoming one of the world’s top 30most developed countries in 2050.
For his part, Nurlan Nigmatulin affirmed that Vietnam is animportant partner of Kazakhstan in Southeast Asia.
He told his host that his talks with Vietnamese NationalAssembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan were successful, during which the twosides agreed to boost partnership between the two countries.
Highlighting the significance of the EAEU-Vietnam Free TradeAgreement, he said that Vietnam went down in history as the first country to signan FTA with the union. After Vietnam, the union has signed FTAs with many othercountries and is negotiating with 40 others on similar deals, he noted.
Asserting that Vietnam and Kazakhstan boast high potentialof cooperation, especially in agriculture, light industry, transport, logisticsand tourism, he said he hopes that more Vietnamese firms will seek businessopportunities in Kazakhstan.
PM Phuc said that Vietnam hopes Kazakhstan will activelysupport the maintaining of peace, stability and development as well as thesettlement of disputes through peaceful measures, diplomatic negotiations withrespect for international law.
The PM held that the enforcement of the 2016 Vietnam-EAEUFTA has brought about positive progress in trade and investment collaborationbetween Vietnam and Kazakhstan.
Two-way trade has risen from 200 million USD in 2017 to 268million USD in 2018, and expectedly a higher figure in 2019, he noted.
The Vietnamese Government leader suggested that the twosides review the implementation of the FTA to withdraw lessons and seekeffective measures to continue realizing the deal effectively.
Alongside, both sides should promote the outcomes of theninth meeting of the Vietnam-Kazakhstan Inter-Government Committee heldrecently in Nur-Sultan, he added.
He stressed the need to continue increasing the exchangeamong businesses of both side and the organization of trade fairs, exhibitionsand business forums in both countries, thus bolstering cooperation ininvestment and potential areas such as agriculture, education-training,science-technology, culture-sport, and tourism.
Noting that aviation sector of Vietnam is growing strongly, thePM welcomed the opening of a new air route between the two countries.
The Kazakh legislator said that the Parliament of Kazakhstanwill prioritise and support the trade connection between the two countries,especially through the railway system from Vietnam to Kazakhstan and Europe viaChina, while giving favourable conditions for businesses of both sides toexploit the EAEU-Vietnam FTA.
Kazakhstan will continue coordinating closely with Vietnamat international forums in 2020 when Vietnam works as a non-permanent member ofthe UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure and ASEAN Chair, he stated./.
VNA
