President Nicolás Maduro has said he will visit Vietnam this year to strengthen what he called the ‘strategic alliance’ between the two countries.

Maduro was speaking after a June 14 visit to Vietven Iluminaciones – a Vietnam-Venezuela joint venture company that manufacturers power saving bulbs in Falcon state.

Vietven Iluminaciones was established on the initiative of late President Hugo Chavez. The company, the first of its kind in Venezuela, started operation last year as part of the country’s energy revolution.

This will be the second Vietnam visit by a Venezuelan leader after the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1989.

During the 2006 visit to Vietnam by President Hugo Chavez, both sides signed three governmental-level agreements: a framework agreement on cooperation between the governments of Vietnam and Venezuela, a cultural cooperation agreement, and an energy cooperation agreement.

VOV