(VOVworld) –Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi began his two-day official visit to Vietnam on Monday at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. This is the first visit by an Italian Prime Minister to Vietnam since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1973.

Following the welcoming ceremony in Hanoi, the two Prime Ministers held talks and agreed on specific measures to boost the Vietnam-Italy strategic partnership. They agreed to increase the exchange of high-level visits and cooperation in politics, diplomacy, economics, culture, and education. They also reached consensus on strengthening the current cooperative mechanism and raise two-way trade turnover to 5 billion USD. Speaking to reporters after the talks, the two Prime Ministers said they would create favorable conditions for their businesses to promote investment in potential areas. The two leaders also talked about regional and international issues including the East Sea issue.

The same day, at a meeting with Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong, the Italian Prime Minister said Italy respected the friendship and cooperation with Vietnam and pledged to further deepening the strategic partnership. Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong expressed his wish that both countries would further promote cooperation especially in investment, trade, education and training. They discussed regional and global issues of mutual concern including recent developments in the East Sea. Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong appreciated Italian scholars and friendship organizations for expressing their concern about the tension in the East Sea and supporting Vietnam’s peaceful measures to deal with the tension. The Party leader said Vietnam always respected its relationship with international friends including Italy and hoped to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two Parliaments, and between the Communist Party of Vietnam and political Parties in Italy including the Democratic Party.