PresidentQuang made the statement in an interview granted to the Bangladeshi press onthe occasion of his State visit to Bangladesh from March 4-6 at the invitationof President Mohammad Abdul Hamid. The following is the full text of theinterview.

Q:Mr President, what is your evaluation of Vietnam-Bangladesh relations?

PresidentTran Dai Quang: Vietnam and Bangladesh have a fine traditional relationshipbased on historical similarities and values that the two nations have shared interms of independence, peace, cooperation and development. In history, ourcountries have always showed mutual solidarity and support. Vietnam was one ofthe first nations to recognise the People’s Republic of Bangladesh’sindependence in 1971. Bangladesh was also one of the first countries in Asia torecognise and establish diplomatic relations with the Provisional RevolutionaryGovernment of the Republic of South Vietnam right after the Paris Agreement wassigned.

Sincethe establishment of diplomatic ties 45 years ago, leaders and people of thetwo nations have treasured and preserved this valuable tradition, and at thesame time, spared no effort to further enhance the development of bilateralrelations. Senior leaders of Vietnam and Bangladesh paid mutual visits andregularly met at multilateral forums. Vietnam welcomed the visits byBangladeshi Prime Minister Seikh Hasina in 2012, President Abdul Hamid in 2015and Speaker of the Parliament Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in2017.

Bilateralcooperative relations in economy, trade, defence, security, agriculture, andeducation-training have witnessed encouraging development in recent years. Inparticular, two-way trade exceeded 900 million USD in 2017, up almost 50percent from the previous year. Vietnam and Bangladesh have also shared commonviewpoints on many regional and international issues, closely cooperated andmutually supported each other at international forums and the United Nations.

People-to-peopleand cultural exchanges have been enhanced. I am very moved to know that thebook “How Ho Chi Minh wrote his testament” was translated into Bengalilanguage, showing the Bangladeshi people’s sentiments to President Ho Chi Minh.

Q:Vietnam is a successful model of socio-economic development. What are prospectsand fields that Vietnam could strengthen cooperation with Bangladesh?

PresidentTran Dai Quang: Bangladesh is a nation with long-standing development historyand rich in cultural heritage; a young population and potential market. It is asuccessful model in the process of hunger eradication, poverty reduction,gender and social equality promotion, and maintaining stable growth.

Bangladeshis realising the goal of joining the group of middle-income nations andbecoming a digital country with advanced science and technology. Bangladesh hasachievements that Vietnam may learn about such as small credit programmes andeducational policy.

Vietnamand Bangladesh have many similarities in terms of economic, cultural and socialconditions and are located at important positions of Southeast Asia and SouthAsia.

Oneconomic-trade and investment ties, Vietnam and Bangladesh are striving toincrease two-way trade; facilitate the flows of key products into each other’smarket; create favourable conditions for their businesses to meet, shareinformation and set up partnerships; and increase aviation connectivity toexpand the flows of investments, trade and tourists.

Vietnamwants to promote its investment flow into Bangladesh, especially in the fieldsof telecommunications, information technology, agriculture, food processing,garment, oil and gas, consumer goods production, infrastructure development andservices.

Regardingcooperation in agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries, the two nations continueto closely cooperate with each other and consider the possibility of formingjoint ventures, associations and production chains, applying high technologiesin cultivation, breeding, production and preservation to increase value ofexport products.

Oneducation-training, we welcome Bangladesh’s continued sending of civil servantsand students to Vietnam for studying and exchanging experiences inadministrative management, economic development, agriculture, fisheries andnatural resources and environmental management. We also highly evaluate theclose cooperation between Vietnam’s National Academy of Public Administrationand Bangladesh’s Public Administration Agency in training Bangladeshi civilservants in Vietnam.

Inregard to defence-security cooperation, the two sides need to further studyeach other’s capacity and demand, firstly in the fields of military logisticsand medicine and joining in United Nations peacekeeping operations. Vietnam andBangladesh should step up cooperation and increase the exchange of informationand experience in the fight against organised crime, transnational crime andinternational terrorism, thus helping to maintain peace and security in theregion and the world as well.

Wewant and believe that relevant agencies of both nations will make the most ofthese potential and advantages to look for suitable measures and develop bilateralrelations more practically and effectively, thereby meeting the aspirations andinterests of their people.-VNA