Vietnam sees potential to increase bilateral trade with SL

Vietnam Prime Minister Ngyuyn Xuan Phuc receives Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Hanoi Saranya Hasathi Urgodawatta Dissanayake

Hanoi: Vietnam Prime Minister Ngyuyn Xuan Phuc affirming the strong ties and traditional co-operation with Sri Lanka for the last 45 years, has expressed hope that  bilateral trade with Sri Lanka could be increased.

Receiving Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Hanoi Saranya Hasathi Urgodawatta Dissanayake Thursday, Prime Minister Phuc has said that the two countries should intensify economic cooperation as bilateral trade reached just $200 million in 2015. The Sri Lankan envoy echoing the Prime Minister Phuc’s opinion of the good relations between the two countries, promised to accelerate the signing of cooperative agreements in trade, investment and tourism with Vietnam and pledged her best effort to further foster the two nations’ relations, especially in trade. Prime Minister Phuc during his meeting with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena at the G7 summit in Nagoya, Japan in May expressed his country’s interest to enhance bilateral relations in many fields including agriculture, industry, trade and investment. He pointed out that while the annual value of bilateral trade has risen to $ 200 million, there are plenty of opportunities for further expansion.