Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung (L) and First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Igor Shuvalov shake hands (Photo: VNA)

Dung said Vietnam always considers Russia a strategic priority in its foreign policy, adding that the Southeast Asian country vows to spare no efforts to nurture the traditional friendship and develop the comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia. Regarding cooperation in energy, businesses of the two countries are actively cooperating in expanding oil and gas exploration and exploitation on the continental shelf of Vietnam and in Russia in the first nine months of 2016.

Both government officials propose Vietnam and Russia optimise opportunities from the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which came into force in October 2016, as well as facilitate the entry of goods to the respective countries in order to realise the two-way trade target of 10 billion USD by 2020.

After wrapping up the November 13-14 working visit to Russia, Deputy PM Trinh Dinh Dung is scheduled to tour Japan from November 15-16.