Vietnamese NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Chairwoman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Natalya Kochanova co-chair a press conference after the talk. (Photo: Trong Duc/VNA)

During a meeting on Thursday in Belarus’s capital, Minsk, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Chairwoman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Natalya Kochanova urged the two countries to tap advantages generated by the Vietnam-Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement and further popularise its incentives among businesses to expand imports.

Chairwoman Kochanova told a press conference following the meeting: “We discussed trade cooperation over the past few years. Although two-way trade has risen strongly, there is room for both to bolster collaboration. The Vietnamese and Belarusian economies can supplement each other, especially in exports. Vietnam has strengths in industry and products made by the two countries can be exported to a third country. I propose that Vietnam export more goods to Belarus, especially rubber, tea, coffee, and tropical fruits.”

Chairwoman Ngan said: “The two countries will prioritise the promotion of economic and trade affiliation, while increasing cooperation in farm produce exports and tourism, and helping each other seek new opportunities and measures to make full use of the Vietnam-Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement. They will effectively implement agreements signed by the two parliaments in April 2009 by increasing the exchange of high-level visits and delegations from committee level and friendship parliamentary groups for better mutual understanding and trust.”

The same day, Madam Ngan held separate talks with Vladimir Andreichenko, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus, and Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko where they agreed that the visit has encouraged the traditional friendship and increased bilateral cooperation.