President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Romanian Ambassador Cristina Romila. Photo: VNA

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted Romanian Ambassador to Vietnam Cristina Romila in Hanoi on January 4, discussing the nations’ ties and their celebration of 73rd anniversary of diplomatic relations (1950-2023), VNA reported.

Appreciating Romania’s support for Vietnam in its previous struggle for independence and current development, the President noted that the European country has helped train thousands of Vietnamese students and postgraduates and aided Vietnam with 300,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine during outbreaks.

The two sides have maintained contacts at all levels, especially between their senior leaders, demonstrating an increasing political trust, Phuc added.

He hailed Romania for actively supporting and promoting the signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) as well as its soon ratification of the EVIPA.

Bilateral trade was estimated to approximate USD 450 million in 2022, an annual increase of more than 15%. However, this figure is still not commensurate with the potential of the two nations' cooperation, said the President, wishing it to grow ten times in the time to come.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Romanian Ambassador Cristina Romila. Photo: VNA

Labour cooperation, despite being new, has reaped encouraging results, with about 5,000 Vietnamese workers currently working in Romania in mechanical engineering, construction, welding, shipbuilding, tourism, hotel, and high-tech agriculture, he said, suggesting the two sides coordinate to expand labour cooperation to fields that Romania and the EU have demand.

Phuc wished the diplomat will make further contributions to boosting the bilateral ties, particularly regarding delegation exchanges and high-level interactions, pledging support from Vietnamese competent agencies for her work.

Considering Vietnam an important partner of Romania, Romila said her nation always attaches importance to and wishes to deepen its collaboration with Vietnam and supports the Southeast Asian nation at international forums.

Stressing that bilateral trade cooperation has had many positive changes, especially seafood, pharmaceuticals, furniture, coffee, fruits and the number of Vietnamese workers in Romania has doubled in the last two years, contributing contributing to Romania's economic development, the diplomat wished the two sides to strengthen cooperation in many fields, especially trade and labour.

Given that education plays a fundamental role in sustainable development, many Vietnamese who have studied in Romania have grown up and actively contributed to the development of bilateral relations, the ambassador looks forward to promoting stronger cooperation in this field in the coming time.

Romania is the first EU member donate 300,000 doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to Vietnam in 2021.

Romania is one of the first countries to officially recognise the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and has always supported and assisted the Vietnamese people during their struggle for national independence and reunification as well as their current construction and defence.

In addition to providing aid in the fields of construction, oil and gas, and railway, Romania has trained more than 4,000 students and post-graduates for Vietnam, many of them have become experts and managers with great contributions to the country’s development.

Earlier, on December 30, the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) had hosted a get-together to mark the 104th National Day of Romania (December 1, 1918 – 2022) with the participation of Ambassador Cristina Romila.

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