The 17th session of the Vietnam-Russia Inter-Governmental Committee onEconomic-Trade and Scientific-Technological Cooperation opened inVladivostok on September 5.

On the occasion, Russian DeputyPrime Minister Igor Shuvalov, who is also head of the Russiansub-committee, welcomed his Vietnamese counterpart, Hoang Trung Hai, wholed the Vietnamese delegation to the three-day session.

Theyunderlined the significance of the session, which is expected to furtherstep up traditional cooperation between the two countries andconsidered a preparation for Vietnamese Party Secretary General NguyenPhu Trong’s official visit to Russia in late 2014.

The host andguest expressed their pleasure with the increasing economic tiesbetween the two countries, as two–way trade hit 2.758 billion USD in2013, up 12.6 percent against the previous year.

They agreed tocontinue closely working so as to boost their links further, especiallyagro-forestry-agriculture export and import.

During theirmeeting, the two Deputy PMs discussed issues relating to the exchange ofhigh-raking visits of the two countries, as well as other cooperationprogrammes between Vietnamese and Russian partners.

The previoussession of the Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic-Trade andScientific-Technological Cooperation between Vietnam and Russia was heldin Hanoi in October, 2013.-VNA