Russia seeks to expand cooperation with Vietnam in new areas, deputy PM says

HANOI, Vietnam – Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko has proposed that Russia and Vietnam expand cooperation in new and promising areas to create fresh momentum for sustainable bilateral growth, affirming during a meeting with Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Đặng Minh Khôi that Vietnam is one of Russia's leading partners in Southeast Asia. Chernyshenko highlighted the two countries' long-standing friendship, close ties, and high level of political trust that have continued to grow on the foundation of the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership, while also welcoming substantive progress in bilateral relations.

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The deputy prime minister noted that 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union, stating that the agreement had proved effective and made an important contribution to the growth of bilateral trade. A highlight of the discussions was the tourism sector's remarkable recovery and strong growth, with the number of Russian visitors to Vietnam nearly doubling, as Vietnam welcomed 690,000 Russian tourists last year while the figure reached 863,000 in the first half of this year alone, with the two sides stating the figures clearly reflected Vietnam's growing appeal as a destination for Russian tourists.

The number of Vietnamese tourists travelling to Russia has also recorded impressive growth, and the strong recovery in tourism has been supported by joint efforts to improve air connectivity, with the two sides currently operating 31 flights on 15 routes connecting a number of cities, creating a foundation for further expansion of the air network. Ambassador Khôi stressed that the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership has continued to develop positively across all fields, affirming that Vietnam attaches great importance to its relations with Russia and wishes to further promote practical and effective cooperation not only in traditional areas such as politics, energy, and oil and gas, but also in science, education, culture, sports, and tourism.

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Such efforts, he said, would help deepen bilateral ties and bring practical benefits to the peoples of both countries. The meeting underscored the continued strengthening of Vietnam-Russia relations and the mutual interest in expanding cooperation beyond traditional sectors to encompass new areas of shared opportunity. The discussions also reflected the growing economic and cultural exchanges between the two nations, which have been facilitated by improved transport links and the free trade agreement. Both sides expressed optimism about the future trajectory of their partnership, with a focus on sustainable growth and mutually beneficial outcomes.