National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Chairman of the Mazhilis (lower house) of the Kazakhstani Parliament Nurlan Nigmatulin (Source: VNA)

Ngan said her visit aims to enhance and deepen friendship and traditional cooperation between the two countries in general and the two parliaments in particular. 

Ngan urged the two sides to evaluate the one-year implementation of the Vietnam-EAEU free trade agreement to withdraw lessons and set forth measures in order to continue implementing the deal effectively. 

Nigmatulin said Kazakhstan hopes to further beef up partnerships with Vietnam in agriculture, transport and tourism. 

The leaders agreed that Vietnam should increase its export of rice, rubber, coffee, seafood, computers, phones, machines and equipment to Kazakhstan while importing metal, steel and iron, ore, minerals and other products. 

Ngan suggested that the two nations intensify cooperation and focus on exchanging information and combating terrorism, transnational and high-tech crimes, and illegal immigration. She underlined the need for the two sides to soon reach consensus on the contents of an agreement on the transfer of convicted persons so that it could be signed in the coming time. 

NA Chaiwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan holds talks with Chairman of the Senate of Kazakhstan Kassym Zhomart Tokayev in Astana, October 17, 2017 (Photo: VNA)

Meeting with Chairman of the Senate of Kazakhstan Kassym Zhomart Tokayev the same day, Ngan proposed upholding consultation mechanisms and mutual support at multilateral parliamentary forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum.

Tokayev said two-way trade is estimated at 450 million USD this year but is still below the two countries’ potential. He agreed with the Vietnamese leader on fully tapping incentives and opportunities brought about by the Vietnam-EAEU FTA.  

Kazakhstan welcomes small and medium-sized Vietnamese enterprises to do business in the country, he said.