Top Leader of Spain to Tour Vietnam Next Year
Top leader of Spain will officially visit Vietnam in 2006 to enhance the relationship between the two countries, Spanish Ambassador to Hanoi Gonzalo Ortiz announced to local media.
He informed that during the expected trip, a large number of contracts and agreements will be signed. However, the foreign diplomatic did not release the name of the visiting leader and particular information about those pacts.
Vietnam and Spain established diplomatic relations on May 23, 1977. The two countries' friendship and comprehensive cooperation developed positively in recent years with a trip to Spain by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai in 2001 and the Queen Sophia's visit to Vietnam in early 2002.
Spain's cooperation programs in Vietnam are mainly in the fields of healthcare, agriculture, tourism, fisheries and the environment.
The two-way trade turnover rose from US$350 million in 2001 to US$475 million in 2003. Vietnam exports footwear products, coffee, tea, rubber, garments and textiles, and imports mechanical products, electric equipment, chemicals and steel.
To date, Spain ranks as 56th among nations and territories to invest in Vietnam, with five project and US$6.89 million registered capital, but disbursed capital was merely US$60,000.
Capital Security, VIR
Vietnamese
