(VOVworld)-The Vietnam-Latin America Trade and Investment Forum opened in Hanoi on Thursday in the presence of Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. The 1^st ever ministerial-level forum, themed ‘Vietnam-Latin America: Trade and investment partnership for development,’ has attracted high ranking delegations from Vietnam and 15 Latin American countries, as well as experts, academics and researchers on Vietnam and Latin America.

PM Dung attends opening session of the Vietnam-Latin America Trade and Investment Forum.(Phôt: Internet)

The two-day event will open up many opportunities and prospects for cooperation between the two sides, so their traditional relationship can be developed to a comprehensive partnership for peace and development. It will focus its discussions on three main topics, including Vietnam-Latin America business and investment environment: Vietnamese-Latin American connectivity in transport, logistics, telecommunications and services; and Vietnamese-Latin American partnerships in agriculture and energy. Addressing the opening ceremony, the Prime Minister reiterated Vietnam’s willingness to become a Latin America’s important economic partner as well as act as a gateway so Latin American countries can access the large markets in the East Asian region. In its foreign policy, Vietnam is determined to develop friendship and cooperation with Latin America countries, for the sake of peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.  Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung: “We are proud of our progress in the relationship development between Vietnam and Latin American countries. We must do more to raise the relations up to our potential, including the two-way trade turnover and investment projects. Our people’ wish for peace and development will foster future cooperation."