Prime Minister hosts Israeli Minister of Economy and Industry

PM Pham reiterated that Viet Nam always attaches importance to Viet Nam-Israel relations, announcing that Viet Nam has granted e-visas to all foreign arrivals (including those from Israel) from mid-August.

The Vietnamese leader welcomed the idea and preparations for launching a direct air route between the two countries. 

He proposed increasing all-level delegation exchanges, particularly high-ranking ones and effectively implementing cooperation mechanisms between the two sides, including the inter-Governmental Committee. 

Pham urged the two nations to soon carry out Viet Nam-Israel Free Trade Agreement signed last July and explore the possibility of signing a cooperation agreement on industry. 

The host emphasized the need to make it easier for visits between their enterprises and joining hands in organizing trade promotion activities. 

He called on Israel to increase imports of Viet Nam's advantageous products such as agricultural and aquatic products, fruits and vegetables, processed food and household appliances. 

Pham recommended both sides foster collaboration in fields of innovation, high-tech, maritime cooperation and climate change adaption, especially coping with draught in Central localities, and high-quality human resources training.  

Viet Nam stands ready to work as a bridging role to boost coordination between Israel and ASEAN, Pham noted. 

Nir Barkat, for his part, asserted that the Israeli Government always considers Viet Nam a crucial partner in the region, expecting to bolster collaboration with Viet Nam across all sectors. 

He voiced his advocate for the orientations of promoting connectivity between the two businesses, and working closely in such areas as high tech, healthcare, anti-desertification, marine cooperation, aquaculture and innovation. 

The minister hailed the beauty of the country and the friendliness and hospitality of Vietnamese people, adding that tourism is also a potential cooperation sector between the two sides. 

He vowed to endorse collaboration with other Vietnamese ministries and agencies to step up the multi-faceted relations between the two sides, particularly in areas proposed by the Vietnamese PM. 

The bilateral trade hit US$2.2 billion in 2022, of which US$800 million were Viet Nam's exports to Israel. 

The two-way trade value witnessed a year-on-year increase of 25.6 percent over the first seven months of 2023, reaching US$1.6 billion. 

As of May this year, Israel poured over US$140.6 million in 40 projects in the Southeast Asian nation./.