(VOVworld) - President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy will visit Vietnam this Wednesday. This 3-day visit will be the first of an EC President to Vietnam since the two sides established diplomatic ties in 1990. The visit shows the EC’s appreciation for Vietnam’s increasing role and status in the region and its wish to strengthen multi-faceted cooperation with Vietnam. The EC and Vietnamese leaders will discuss measures to enhance bilateral cooperation within the framework of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), and exchange ideas on regional and international issues. Rompuy will reveal the EU’s plans to deal with the Eurozone crisis and cooperate with Vietnam in regional and international forums.

The EU established a delegation in Vietnam in 1996. Since then, bilateral cooperation has rapidly expanded. The EU has become one of Vietnam’s top partners in various sectors especially economics and trade, contributing sizably to Vietnam’s socio-economic development and international integration. The EU is Vietnam’s second largest export market for footwear, garments and textiles, seafood, furniture, and electronic devices.