State Duma Chairman optamimistically assesses prospects of trade between Russia and Vietnam

Last year, trade between Russia and Vietnam topped $700 million, and it is progressively gaining in speed now." This was disclosed by State Duma Chairman Gennady Seleznev at the opening of the photo exhibition "Vietnam Today" in the building of the Lower House of the Russian Parliament on Monday.

"Soon our trade will top a billion dollars," Gennady Seleznev said.

The Speaker of the Russian State Duma noted that at the present time the Russian-Vietnamese relations are at a rise. The inter-parliamentary contacts are also in a good state. "The organisation of such exhibitions is another form of cooperation," Seleznev added.

The Speaker said that Russia and Vietnam are strategic partners; Russian and Vietnamese business "has many common projects and common plans." "I am sure that both Vietnamese and Russian sides are interested in looking at our relations through this prism," said the head of the State Duma.

The Chairman of the Lower House of the Russian Parliament pointed out that, possibly, this autumn the delegation of the State Duma, with its Speaker at the head, would pay an official visit to Vietnam. "I believe that this will also be a step towards strengthening our bilateral relations," underscored Gennady Seleznev.