HA NOI (VNS) — President Truong Tan Sang and his Icelandic counterpart Olafur Ragnar Grimsson shared the wish for stronger economic, trade and investment co-operation between the two countries during their talks in Ha Noi yesterday.
During the talks, President Sang said that the visit would create a new framework for co-operation between the two countries.
He informed President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson that Viet Nam is switching to the quality growth model while accelerating the restructuring of the economy for rapid and sustainable development towards modernisation and industrialisation.
He also highlighted Viet Nam's policy of international integration, adding the country has joined many bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements, contributed to peace and stability in the region and deepened relations with all partners.
In the relationship with Iceland, President Sang recommended the increase of exchanges and contacts in all levels. He welcomed the deal on co-operation in geothermal energy signed between the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the visit.
The two sides need to assist their enterprises in seeking business opportunities and connectivity, especially in fields where Iceland has the upper hand and Viet Nam has demand, such as seafood fishing and processing and renewable energy, the President said.
President Sang also thanked Iceland and the European Free Trade Association for recognising Viet Nam as a market economy and wished that Iceland speed up negotiations of a free trade agreement between the two countries, taking into consideration the development gap, and conclude the negotiation in the earliest possible time, thus allowing enterprises from the two countries to approach opportunities in each market.
President Sang recommended that the two countries study the possibility of negotiating and signing co-operation agreements on education and training, as well as exchanging experience on social welfare, gender equality, and the care for children and the disabled.