(VOVWORLD) - Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged Vietnam and Romania to strengthen cooperation in oil and gas, agriculture and food processing.
 Visiting Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has a working session with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on April 15, 2019. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA) |
Mr. Phuc told Romanian President Klaus Iohannis at a meeting on Monday in Bucharest that labour, education, tourism, national defence, security, science, and technology are potential areas for bilateral cooperation. He called for support from Romania as EU president in the first six months of 2019 for the signing and ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).
President Iohannis said Romania values its friendship with Vietnam. It backs closer Vietnam-EU relations and will push for the signing of the EVFTA and the EVIPA so that cooperation projects will benefit Vietnam, the EU and Romania, he said. The two leaders agreed to urge ministries, agencies, localities and partners in their country to step up connectivity to develop the bilateral relationship and produces significant outcomes to celebrate the 70th anniversary of bilateral ties. Vietnam and Romania will continue close coordination at multilateral forums like the United Nations and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), they vowed.
 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and President of the Romanian Senate Călin Popescu Tăriceanu. (Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu) |
At a meeting with President of the Romanian Senate Călin Popescu Tăriceanu the same day, PM Phuc spoke highly of the Romanian Senate’s contributions to bilateral ties. Mr. Tăriceanu said the Romanian Senate recognises the importance of the Vietnam-Romania friendship, adding that Romania supports the EVFTA and the EVIPA and is accelerating legal reviews so the agreements can be signed soon. He said Vietnam and Romania should step up efforts to raise two-way trade to 1 billion USD. Romania wants more Vietnamese students and workers to come to Romania, he added.
Prime Minister Phuc also attended a Vietnam-Romania business forum and held working sessions with leaders of Vietnamese and Romanian localities on ways to boost cooperation.