Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko  (Photo: The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Hanoi (VNA) – RussianAmbassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko highlighted milestones in Vietnam – Russiaties in 2021 and Vietnam’s changes after nearly four decades of renewal in aninterview recently granted to Vietnam News Agency.

Bezdetko said the Russiavisit by a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation led by President Nguyen Xuan Phucwas one of the important events in bilateral agenda last year. The Russia –Vietnam traditional ties were also fostered via visits by Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Nikolai Patrushev and VietnameseForeign Minister Bui Thanh Son, during which both sides reached agreements toenhance links across economy-investment, national defence and security, scienceand technology, culture and education.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (R) receives Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko on August 13, 2021 (Photo: VNA)

Last year, the two countries celebratedthe 20th anniversary of the signing of the Joint Statement on Vietnam –Russia strategic partnership, the 40th anniversary of oil and gasjoint-venture Vietsovpetro, and the 15th anniversary of the Vietnam –Russia Joint Venture Bank.

The ambassador stressed that since theFree Trade Agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Vietnam tookeffect in October 2016, two-way trade has increased considerably. Amid theCOVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam remains the biggest trade partner of Russia inASEAN.

Speaking highly of the coordinating role of the Russia – Vietnam Inter-Governmental Committee on Trade, Economic and Scientific-Technological Cooperation led by the two Deputy Prime Ministers, he said two-way trade hit record last year, reaching 4.97 billion USD as of November, up 12.07 percent annually.

According to him, Russia’s leading natural gas producer PAO Novatek is exploring the possibility of launching liquefied natural gas projects in Vietnam. Meanwhile, GAZ Group and Vietnam is also cooperating in vehicle assembling, with its factory in Da Nang to be put into operation. The Rosatom State Corporation specialising in nuclear energy for peaceful purpose is pushing forward the construction of a nuclear sci-tech centre in Vietnam.

Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko (second, left) hands over the batch of Sputnik V vaccine to Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan on September 29, 2021 (Photo: VNA)

In the fightagainst COVID-19 pandemic, Bezdetko said apart from donating “Sputnik V” và “Sputnik Light”vaccines, Russia also transferred vaccine production technology and medicinesto Vietnam. Both sides shared experience in COVID-19 diagnosis, treatment andprevention, as well as sanitary and epidemiological measures.

General Director of Vietnam News Agency Vu Viet Trang (R) and Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko (Photo: VNA) 

Bezdetko, who has lived in Vietnam for many years, also hailed Vietnam’sachievements in improving its position on international arena and people’slives in recent years.

He said the Vietnamese peopl💦e always maintain their long-sta♐ndingcustoms and traditions, considering it the biggest success of the Asiannation./.