Moscow (VNA) –Tula Oblast is willing to step up cooperation with Vietnamese localities in allfields, said Governor of the Russian region Aleksey Dyumin.

The official made thestatement at a meeting with Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh, whomade a working trip to the region on November 8 and 9.

Both host and guest agreedthat the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership has been grown extensivelyin the areas of economy, trade, tourism, culture, humanitarian aid, andeducation.  

Dyumin said trade turnoverbetween his region and Vietnamese localities reached 1 million USD last year,an annual increase of 50 percent. However, the figure still fell short ofbilateral potential for cooperation, he stressed.

The governor suggested thesides boost their joint work in the sectors of garment-textile, tourism,medicine, and mechanical engineering. He pledged to create the best conditionspossible for Vietnamese businesses to invest in the region.

He requested the VietnamEmbassy introduce the country’s strengths and propose Vietnamese key productsfor export to Tula Oblast.

For his part, Manh reviewedprogress in Vietnam-Russia ties, particularly recent meetings between seniorleaders of the two nations and the positive impacts of the free trade agreementsigned between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union.

In the first nine months of2018, Vietnam-Russia trade grew 30 percent, he said, pointing to the fact thatcompared to such number, trade between Vietnam and Tula Oblast remained modest.

The diplomat recommendedVietnamese localities and the Russian region increase the exchange of businessdelegations to seek trade-economic and investment opportunities.

Manh asked the localauthorities to consider the establishment of twin relations with Vietnam’scentral province of Ha Tinh as they share lots of similarities.

He urged the oblast toactively participate in activities of the Russia Year in Vietnam and VietnamYear in Russia in 2019. Vietnam also expects to see more students trained atuniversities in Russia and Tula in partcicular, he said.

The ambassador expressed hishope for further support from Tula Oblast’s authorities toward the Vietnameseexpatriate community here.

Lauding Manh’s proposals,the governor directed relevant agencies to make a list of potential cooperationfields and carry out procedures for the establishment of twin relations with aVietnamese locality.

Earlier, the diplomat toureda number of Vietnamese-run garment workshops. Insufficient statistics showedthat there were about 30 workshop of its kind in Tula, creating jobs for nearly2,000 Vietnamese with average monthly incomes ranging between 600 and 1,000USD.

He also visited Russia’sbiggest turkey producer Krasnobor, which is exporting its products toVietnam.-VNA