The business dialogue between Russia and ASEAN is one of the first discussions at the EEF 2021, taking place in the city of Vladivostok, Russia.
In a video sent to the dialogue session, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien affirmed that ASEAN is increasingly becoming affirmed as one of the most successful regional cooperation organisations and is playing an increasingly important role in regional and international relationship.
Vietnam and the ASEAN countries agreed to work closely with Russia to promote trade and investment, maintain regional supply chains, and strengthen cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and ASEAN.
Though two-way trade between ASEAN and Russia in 2020 is still modest, reaching about US$15.69 billion, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien believes businesses from the two sides will find opportunities to promote trade and investment activities in strong fields, such as: cooperation in production and technology transfer of vaccines, therapeutic drugs and medical products, heavy industry, light industry, energy, oil and gas exploitation.
In order to take advantage of the close, trusting relationship between Vietnam and Russia, thus promoting the ASEAN-Russia strategic partnership, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien emphasised the need to implement the Vietnam - EAEU Free Trade Agreement in an effective manner.
Vietnam’s Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien speaks at the dialogue. (Photo: NDO/Thanh The)
In addition, it is necessary to promote cooperation in fields with great potential such as energy, science and technology, transport infrastructure, information technology, especially digital transformation, and cooperation in production and technology transfer of vaccines and drugs to treat COVID-19.
At the dialogue session, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation (CCI of Russia) Sergey Katyrin added he hopes two-way trade between Russia and ASEAN countries will soon recover to pre-pandemic levels, adding that growth in the first half of 2021 reached over 25%.
The President of the CCI in Russia noted that ASEAN experts can participate in urban development projects being implemented in the Russian Far East, with a focus on building infrastructure in the city, modern housing, providing services, etc.
At the dialogue, delegates emphasised that, with rich natural resources and unique business conditions, the Russian Far East is opening up great prospects for joint projects in the fields of energy, agriculture, wood processing industry and tourism, etc., in the context of strengthening cooperation with ASEAN being one of the priorities in the eastward foreign policy of Russia.
