Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s upcoming working visit to Portugal, thefirst of its kind, will enhance relations between the two countries andopen up new cooperation opportunities, Vietnamese Ambassador to Franceand Portugal Nguyen Ngoc Son stated.

Accordingto Ambassador Son, the Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Portugal onJune 3 and 4, when he will hold talks and co-chair the 2015 BlueBusiness Forum with his Portuguese counterpart.

He will also host a Vietnamese economic forum. Most notably, he willwitness the signing of several bilateral agreements, including pacts ondouble tax avoidance, tourism cooperation and joint activities betweenthe two finance ministries.

The visit takesplace on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of bilateral diplomaticrelations and will boost mutual understanding, Son noted.

The Vietnamese economic forum will see the participation of 100Vietnamese enterprises and a great number of Portuguese firms. It isexpected to help participants learn about the two markets and establishbusiness links.

Portugal has a population of10 million, with a per capita income of more than 20,000 USD per year.Its major economic sectors include agriculture, garments and textiles,and electricity production, which are similar to Vietnam. The EU-membercountry considers Vietnam its gateway into the Southeast Asian market.

The third Blue Business Forum will be attended by more than 50 countries and international organisations.

The Vietnamese diplomat pointed out that the invitation to co-chairthe event reflects the host nation’s high regard for Vietnam. In turn,Vietnam’s acceptance demonstrates its interest in maritime economics andthe marine environment.-VNA