Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will be in Myanmar Monday through Wednesday to attend the 4^th summit of the Greater Mekong Sub-region. The visit confirms Vietnam’s policy of enhancing multilateral cooperation with Myanmar and its active participation in the Greater Mekong Sub-region cooperation mechanism.

Vietnam and Myanmar established diplomatic ties in May 1975 and has since worked to foster their traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation. A number of reciprocal high-level visits including Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s trip last year have elevated the two countries’ relations to a new height.

Two-way trade turnover this year is expected to reach USD180 million, an annual increase of 18.4%. Vietnam and Myanmar have co-organized an annual trade fair to promote their products and attract investment. Le Quang Lan, Deputy Director of the Multilateral Trade Policies Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, says achievements lag behind potential: "Trade value between Vietnam and Myanmar remains low compared to the total revenue within ASEAN. We have tried to work out bilateral and regional measures such as exchanging information and visits and generating investment opportunities".

At last year’s meeting of the Joint-Committee on Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technological Cooperation, the two countries discussed ways to boost cooperation in agro-forestry, fishery, transport, energy, communications, health, culture, education, sports and tourism. Agreements were signed including an Air Transport Agreement in 1977, a Trade Agreement in 1994, a Tourist cooperation agreement in 1994, and a Joint-Statement on bilateral cooperation in 12 areas in 2010.

Besides bilateral cooperation, the two sides also closely coordinate in regional and international forums, including the Greater Mekong Sub-Region, the political, economic, and cultural organization of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar, and the cooperation forum of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

While he is in Myanmar, Prime Minister Dung will attend the 4th Greater Mekong Sub-Region Summit. The leaders discuss ways to boost integration targets, upgrade infrastructure, develop human resources, and facilitate cross-border transport and trade. Kimihiro Ishikane, Deputy Director-general of Japan's Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau said: "Japan treasures cooperation with countries in the Mekong Sub-region, whose sustainable and stable development has benefited Japan. An increasing number of Japanese companies have invested in the region and Vietnam is one of the highest potential markets".