Day: April 19, 2022

A seminar to promote investment in Cuba’s Mariel Special Development Zone (ZED Mariel) to bolster economic, investment, trade and tourism and healthcare cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and Cuban localities was held in the southern hub on April 19.

The event, jointly organised by the HCM City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC) and Cuba’s Universales Almacenes S.A in the city, also aims to open up chances for businesses to step up trade activities and seize opportunities brought by the Vietnam-Cuba Trade Agreement.

Vietnam is currently the second largest Asian trade partner of Cuba and two-way trade hit 102 million USD in 2020. The Vietnam-Cuba Trade Agreement taking effect in early of that year has helped promote trade and presence of Vietnamese firms in Cuba.

The countries have collaborated in various fields, including agriculture, oil and gas, telecommunications, education and healthcare.

In terms of investment, Vietnam has channelled more than 44 million USD into four projects in Cuba while the Caribbean nation has poured investment worth over 7 million USD into Vietnam.

The countries’ trade and investment relations have yet to align with their friendship and ample room remains for businesses, ITPC Deputy Director Cao Thi Phi Van said.

The seminar was the first activity held between HCM City and Cuba since COVID-19 broke out and aimed to create a momentum for the sides to expand cooperation for future development, as well as support Vietnamese firms seeking investment chances in Cuba.

ZED Mariel is expected to offer opportunities for foreign investors, including those from Vietnam.

A representative of the Vietnam Glass and Ceramics for Construction Corporation (Viglacera), which is investing in the zone, said that Cuba holds huge advantages for the development of food and consumer product manufacturing and processing; fertiliser and animal feed; medical supplies and equipment; and construction material and renewable energy./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The ongoing visit by Speaker of the Indian Lok Sabha (the lower house) Om Birla to Vietnam will be a success and further contribute to strengthening the Vietnam-India comprehensive strategic partnership in the coming time.

So said Vice Chairman of the National Assembly (NA)’s Committee for External Relations Dinh Cong Sy to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the visit from April 19-21 at the invitation by NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

The visit is taking place as the two countries are celebrating the 50th founding anniversary of their bilateral diplomatic ties and the comprehensive strategic partnership is flourishing.

This is Birla’s first visit to Vietnam since he took office in June 2019. The Vietnamese Party and State always give high priority to the Vietnam-India comprehensive strategic partnership, sharing and exchanging experience in realising functions of the countries’ legislative bodies and specifying content of the signed agreements between the Vietnamese NA and the Indian Lok Sabha in September 2016, Sy said.

Of note, the visit is made four months after NA Chairman Hue’s official visit to India and four days after phone talks between Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sy underlined that leaders of the countries’ legislative bodies have given priority to visits to each other to enhance mutual trust, which paves the way for cooperation chances in numerous fields of trade and investment.

Indian Lower house speaker’s visit hoped to enhance partnership hinh anh 2

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (L) presented a souvenir to Speaker of the Indian Lok Sabha (the lower house) Om Birla during an event in September 2021. (Photo: VNA)

In addition to visits by high-ranking officials, those by committees of the countries’ legislative bodies have been carried out effectively, particularly of the Vietnam-India Parliamentary Friendship Group.

In terms of multilateral activities, delegations of the Vietnamese NA and the Indian parliament regularly exchange viewpoints, including similarities regarding major regional and international issues.

During Birla’s visit, the two sides will discuss situations in each country and the Vietnam-India relations at large, and the cooperation between the countries’ legislative bodies in particular, including experience in the implementation of legislative functions and the fine-tuning of the legal system so as to create a legal corridor conducive for businesses of the countries, Sy stated./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Speaker of the Indian Lok Sabha Om Birla and his entourage arrived in Hanoi at noon on April 19, starting their three-day official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

Om Birla was greeted by Chairman of the NA’s Committee for External Relations Vu Hai Ha and Vice Chairman Dinh Cong Sy at Noi Bai International Airport.

A welcoming ceremony for the Indian lower house speaker is scheduled to take place at the NA building on the same day’s afternoon.

The visit is made in the context that the Vietnam-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has been growing strongly with high political trust and close relations between the two legislatures.

It is one of the major political events between the National Assembly of Vietnam and the Indian Lok Sabha to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam-India diplomatic ties (1972 – 2022).

It aims to further reinforce the Vietnam-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, maintain high-level delegation exchanges between the two countries and their legislative bodies, and implement bilateral cooperation activities within the agreement signed between the Vietnamese NA and the Indian Lok Sabha in September 2016./

Source: Vietnam News Agency