Vietnam treasures strategic partnership with India

Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan made the statement at a reception in Hanoi on January 15 for her Indian counterpart Mohammad Hamid Ansari, who is making an official visit to Vietnam and reviewing the Vietnam-India 2012 Friendship Year.

Doan spoke positively of the developing traditional friendship and strategic partnership between the two nations and expressed her belief that India will soon become a modern, prosperous and powerful country that contributes to regional and international peace and stability.

Mohammad Hamid Ansari affirmed that India will continue to support Vietnam’s national construction and development.

Both sides were pleased with the Vietnam-India 2012 Friendship Year, and highly valued the close co-ordination between the two countries’ relevant agencies to organise a wide range of activities that strengthened friendship and mutual understanding between the two peoples.

The two sides expressed their satisfaction at the positive and practical development of their bilateral ties over the last 40 years, especially since the two countries established their strategic partnership in 2007.

Bilateral co-operation in politics, economics, security and defence, science and technology, culture and education has benefited the two peoples, they said.

The two sides agreed to continue strengthening political links through regular high-level visits and meetings, and exchanges between organisations and peoples, to raise two-way trade to $7 billion by 2015, and to strengthen co-operation in defence, credit, science and technology, culture and education.

They will continue co-operation at regional and international forums such as the ASEAN-India Summit, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Ganga-Mekong Co-operation, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the United Nations (UN).

The Indian side thanked Vietnam for its support of India’s UN Security Council membership when it expands.

The two sides shared views and were in agreement on a number of regional and international issues of common concern, including the maintenance of peace, stability, maritime security and safety in the East Sea.

After the talks, Vice President Doan and her Indian counterpart witnessed the signing of co-operation documents concerning the two countries’ small- and medium-sized businesses.