Russian PM Medvedev and Vietnamese Prime Minister hold talks in Hanoi

HANOI, November 19. /TASS/. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who is on an official visit to Vietnam, is holding talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on MOnday. The meeting was preceded by a colorful ceremony of welcoming the Russian Prime Minister. Along with the traditional participants - a military band and a guard of honor - Medvedev was greeted by a Vietnamese school girl who presented him with a bouquet of roses. Then Prime Ministerheld a photography ceremony. Russian government’s press service reported earlier that Medvedev, who is on an official visit in Vietnam, will hold meetings with the country's leadership. "In Hanoi, Head of the Russian government will hold talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, meet with Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Nguyen Thị Kim Ngan," the press service said. At these talks, the parties plan to discuss issues of Russian-Vietnamese cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, industry and energy. They will also consider implementation of major joint infrastructure, high-tech, educational and humanitarian projects, including hosting the Year of Russia in Vietnam in 2019 and the Year of Vietnam in Russia. In 2017, trade turnover between Russia and Vietnam increased by 36.2% to $5.23 bln. In January-August 2018, the volume of mutual trade amounted to $3.37 bln. Key Russian exports are machinery and equipment, grain crops, food products, mineral raw materials, metals and products from it, products of the chemical industry; imports - electrical engineering and components, mobile phones, textiles, food and agricultural raw materials. Read more