At a reception for Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai in Montevideo on October 23, Topolansky said the first meeting of the Vietnam-Uruguay Joint Committee on Economic, Trade and Investment Cooperation serves as a foundation for the two sides to expand their collaboration in different realms. 

Briefing his host on outcomes of the meeting, Hai said the two sides reviewed their affiliation over the past time and discussed cooperation priorities in the time ahead. 

They agreed to create conditions for products of the two countries to access the respective markets, promote delegation exchanges, and organise trade and investment promotion activities. 

Hai urged the two countries to soon implement signed cooperation agreements, while boosting collaboration in the areas of their potential.

The joint committee will carry forward its role in forging bilateral affiliation in economy, trade, investment, agriculture, and science-technology, the official said. 

The first meeting of the joint committee took place earlier the same day under the co-chair of Hai and Uruguayan Deputy Foreign Minister Ariel Bergamino. 

The two sides shared the view that the meeting marks a new step in the bilateral cooperation since the establishment of Vietnam-Uruguay diplomatic ties in 1993. 

Although two-way trade increased from US$71 million in 2012 to nearly US$120 million in 2017, the economic, trade and investment relations have yet to match their potential as well as traditional friendship, the meeting heard. 

Regarding market access, especially of agricultural products, Uruguay hoped to export beef and citrus to Vietnam while the Southeast Asian nation wanted to ship vegetables, pepper, cashew nuts, seafood and interior decorations to Uruguay. 

Vietnam exports footwear, garments-textiles, computers, electronic products and spare parts, rubber, rattan, steel, plastic and ceramic products to Uruguay. 

Meanwhile, the country imports wood and timber products, garment-textile and leather materials, pharmaceutical products, milk and dairy products, seafood, cattle feed, and chemicals from this market.

Source: vov.vn