With an aim to expand comprehensive cooperation between Timor-Leste and Vietnam, Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão will pay an official visit to Vietnam during September 3-5.
The visit, made at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung, will be the second one by Gusmao. He first visited Vietnam in 2005 as President of the Timor-Leste.
Since Vietnam and Timor-Leste established their official diplomatic ties on July 28, 2002, the two sides have exchanged a number of high-ranking delegations, including Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Manh Cam’s visit to Timor-Leste to attend the country’s independence announcement ceremony in 2002 and Timor-Leste President Xanana Gusmão’s official visit to Vietnam in August 2005.
In April 2010, President Jose Ramos Horta made a State-level visit to Vietnam, during which the two sides established the bilateral Joint Committee mechanism and signed the Framework Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation.
In 2012, two-way trade reached US$34.4 million, with Vietnam’s main exports to Timor-Leste being rice and seafood.
The two countries are negotiating for a trade agreement, an agreement on investment encouragement and reciprocal protection, and memoranda of understanding on healthcare and agriculture cooperation.
During the Timor Leste PM’s visit, the two countries will also exchange experience in national development as well as discuss international and regional issues of mutual concern.
Both countries have a great potential for cooperation in agriculture, oil and gas, seafood and infrastructure construction.
A $15 million telecommunication project is being developed by Vietnam’s military-run Viettel Group in Timor-Leste.
Timor-Leste opened its embassy in Hanoi in April 2012 and assigned a resident ambassador to Vietnam in November that year.
In fact, the two countries’ relations began as early as in 1975 when the Fretilin – Revolutionary Front for an Independent Timor Leste – unilaterally declared independence. Vietnam was among the first countries to recognize Timor-Leste’s independence.
Đăng ký: VietNam News