Head of the Russian Trade Representative Agency in Vietnam, Viacheslav Nikolaevich Kharinov voices his opinion.
However, their economic and trade cooperation is still modest compared to the bilateral potential. Hence, it is necessary to carry out new mechanisms to encourage cooperation between Vietnamese and Russian businesses. One of the suggested mechanisms is cultural and humane support.
Addressing at the workshop “Reality of cultural and humane interaction with businesses: Plans and Tools” on September 22 at the Hanoi-based Russian Center for Sciences and Culture, Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Konstantin Vasilievich Vnukov spoke highly of the increasing economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, especially in trade and financial investment.
Director of the center, Shafinskaya Natalia held that the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RFPI) and the Vietnamese State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC) signed a memorandum to establish the Russia-Vietnam Investment Fund with initial capital of USD 500 million. The fund is used to promote investment between Vietnam and Russia as well as assist Vietnamese medium- and large-sized companies to do business in Russia. The two countries have cooperated in various sectors, including petroleum, petro-chemistry, energy, electricity, medicine, and agriculture. Besides, they see potential cooperation in the construction of metro systems and railways in Vietnam.
Head of the Russian Trade Representative Agency in Vietnam, Viacheslav Nikolaevich Kharinov held that those achievements of the Vietnam-Russia economic and trade cooperation come from the influence of Russian culture and humanity to Vietnam. “Vietnamese people always remember the enthusiastic support given by people in the Soviet Union, now Russia, in their struggle for national liberation and construction. Thanks to this support, Vietnam successfully built up the industrial sector like metallurgy, mining, electricity, and chemicals. Thus, Vietnamese welcomes the images of Russia and Russian companies, directly benefiting from the operation of the Russian Trade Representative Agency in Vietnam,” he said.
However, Vietnam and Russia should map out and introduce new mechanisms to encourage both business communities of Vietnam and Russia. At present, Vietnam is effectively applying the public-private mechanism, along with other assistance and policies, to further develop the Vietnam-Russia economic and trade relationship. Many Russian companies in Vietnam actively operated in education and training, science, medicine, sports, and charities. Notably, Russia provided scholarships for over 400 Vietnamese students as part of a program supported by Russian state atomic energy corporation Rosatom, Ambassador Vnukov added.
The Russian Ambassador also said one of the advantages to boost the bilateral economic and trade cooperation is the special traditional ties between the two peoples. Thousands of Vietnamese studied in the Soviet Union, now Russia, and fluently speak Russian, while the Vietnamese language is gradually becoming widespread in Russia, from Saint Petersburg to Vladivostok. Thus, Vietnam and Russia must bring into play that advantage and make the use of that advantage to their promising joint projects.
Translated by Van Hieu