At the reception, President Sang referenced the Indian Vice President’s visit as contributing to further strengthening the two nations’ friendship.

Sang expressed his delight at the achievements India has attained in recent years and its surging international status.

The Vietnam-India relationship has grown steadily since both countries established diplomatic ties 40 years ago—ties acknowledged and celebrated during the Vietnam-India Friendship Year in 2012.

Over the past five years of their strategic partnership, India and Vietnam’s friendship encountered no obstacles. The two countries should still promote cross-cultural and high-level delegation exchanges to boost bilateral relations in foreign affairs, economics, and trade, Sang said.

Sang agreed to build an Indian cultural centre in Vietnam and thanked India for its unbiased stance on the East Sea issue. He added that Vietnam is ready to work with other countries on settling disputes based on international law for the sake of peace regionally and in the world at large.

Regarding the outcomes of talks betweenVice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Thi Doan, Sang said Vietnam is willing to support India’s proposed UN Security Council membership during the future UN reform process.

Ansari said he is pleased to visit Vietnam after both countries successfully concluded the Vietnam-India Friendship Year and celebrated the fifth year of their strategic partnership.

The Indian Vice President identified Vietnam as a pillar in the Indian East Look policy, praising the long-standing friendship initiated by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and late President Ho Chi Minh and nurtured by succeeding generations. The relationship between Vietnam and India will be a factor in promoting regional and global peace.

Ansari thanked Vietnam for coordinating with and supporting his country at international forums, noting the strategic partnership’s effectiveness over its first five years. Bilateral cooperation in economics and trade continues to deliver results, with two-way trade turnover estimated to reach US$7 billion by 2015.

Cross-cultural exchanges and educational cooperation between the two countries has also been enhanced in recent years and is destined for further expansion in the near future.

The same day, at an earlier reception for her Indian counterpart Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan said Vietnam values its strategic partnership with India as well as the country’s role and active contributions to peace and cooperation in the region and the world.

 Doan praised the traditional friendship and strategic partnership between the two nations and expressed her belief that India will soon become a modern, prosperous and powerful country that contributes to regional and international peace and stability.

Mohammad Hamid Ansari affirmed that India will continue to support Vietnam’s national construction and development.

Both leaders were pleased with the Vietnam-India 2012 Friendship Year, and highly valued the close coordination between the two countries’ relevant agencies to organise a wide range of activities that strengthened friendship and mutual understanding between the two peoples.

They expressed their satisfaction at the positive and practical development of their bilateral ties over the last 40 years, especially since the two countries established their strategic partnership in 2007.

Bilateral cooperation in politics, economics, security and defence, science and technology, culture and education has benefited the two peoples, they said.

The two sides agreed to continue strengthening political links through regular exchanges of high-level visits and meetings between organisations and peoples, and to strengthen cooperation in defence, science and technology, culture and education.

They will continue cooperation at regional and international forums such as the ASEAN-India Summit, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Ganga-Mekong Cooperation, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the United Nations (UN).

The two sides shared views and consented on a number of regional and international issues of common concern, including the maintenance of peace, stability, maritime security and safety in the East Sea.

After the talks, Doan and Ansari witnessed the signing of cooperation documents on the two countries’ small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

VOV