President Ramchandra Paudel expressed Nepal’s wish to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam, especially in economy, trade and investment, during his recent reception for Vietnamese Ambassador to India, Bhutan and Nepal Nguyen Thanh Hai.

Receiving the Vietnamese diplomat following the credentials presentation ceremony in Kathmandu on August 18, Paudel pointed out that trade cooperation between Nepal and Vietnam remains modest, as two-way trade turnover between the two countries was less than US$100 million per annum.

The State leader proposed that the two countries consider opening a direct air route to help bolster bilateral cooperation in trade and tourism. He also proposed that Vietnamese businesses increase their investment in Nepal.

Ambassador Hai for his part affirmed that he would try his best to coordinate connectivity between relevant ministries, agencies and business communities of the two countries so as to ramp up cooperation.

During his working trip to Nepal on August 17-18, Ambassador Hai paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', Speaker of the House of Representatives Dev Raj Ghimire, and Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) Sharma Oli.

He also had working sessions with Minister of Foreign Affairs Narayan Prakash Saud and Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati.

Hai assured their hosts that Vietnam attaches importance to strengthening the traditional friendship and cooperation relationship with Nepal. He briefed their hosts on Vietnam’s new e-visa policy, which he hoped is an opportunity to enhance tourism and economic cooperation between the two countries.

Prime Minister Dahal briefed his guest on the Nepalese Government’s efforts to reform and facilitate the business environment in an effort to attract foreign investors, including those from Vietnam.

He voiced his support for Vietnam’s foreign policy, agreeing that countries should respect the United Nations Charter and each other’s independence and sovereignty. He also emphasized that the East Sea issue should be resolved peacefully on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

VOV