In a bid to bolster its economic relations, Vietnam is focusing on enhancing trade and investment ties with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Egypt. The Vietnamese Vice President, Võ Thị Ánh Xuân, emphasized the importance of capitalizing on the Vietnam-EAEU Free Trade Agreement to boost bilateral trade and investment. She suggested potential upgrades to the agreement and urged the EAEU to tackle existing trade barriers that hinder Vietnamese exports such as textiles, footwear, and rice.
Discussions between the two parties centered on improving the coordination of trade data, expediting meetings of their joint committee, and promoting the use of electronic certificates of origin. EAEU representatives noted that bilateral trade has nearly doubled, indicating significant opportunities for further growth and collaboration.
Separately, during a meeting with Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Hussein Mohamed Ahmed Eissa, Xuân advocated for increased high-level exchanges and deeper economic cooperation between Vietnam and Egypt. She proposed advancing towards a Vietnam-Egypt free trade agreement and highlighted sectors like agriculture, infrastructure, tourism, digital transformation, education, and renewable energy as promising areas for expanded cooperation.
These discussions took place in Bishkek, where Vietnam was participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Plus Summit. Through these engagements, Hanoi aims to reinforce its economic and diplomatic relationships with regional partners, seeking to establish robust economic partnerships and greater market access.