ISLAMABAD, Sept 1: Friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Pakistan have strengthened since they established diplomatic ties in 1972. They have closely coordinated and supported each other on various regional and international issues at world forums.

This was stated by the ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nguyen Quang Thuc in a message on his country’s 62nd anniversary of the independence, being observed on September 2.

Vietnam has made great strides since its revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh declared it an independent socialist republic in 1945. “Today Vietnam boasts to be the second fastest growing economy in the world”, the ambassador said.

No wonder relations between Vietnam and Pakistan have developed most in the field of trade and economics, specially after the visits of President Gen Pervez Musharraf to Vietnam in May 2001 and President Tran Duc Luong to Pakistan in March 2004.

“These visits reflected the determination of the two sides to raise their friendship and cooperation to new heights”, the ambassador said.

Since then the two countries have signed nine agreements and MoUs and trade between them has been growing at the rate of 25-30 per cent — from less than $10 million in 1999 to $1 billion in 2006.

Ambassador Thuc expressed the hope that Vietnam-Pakistan friendship would continue to grow in the coming years in the interests of the two peoples and for peace and stability in the region and the world.

During the past over six decades, especially after the introduction of ‘Doi Moi‘ (Renovation) policy in 1986, Vietnam has surmounted “untold difficulties and challenges”, making historic achievements.

The living standard of the people has been improved. By 2006, Vietnam had reduced the percentage of its people living in abject poverty to 7 per cent from 70 per cent in 1980. The HDI of Vietnam increased from 0.583 in 1994 with a rank of 120/174 to 108/177 in 2005.

In many ways, this followed the Chinese model and achieved similar results. Vietnam achieved over 8 per cent annual GDP growth in 1990-2006, the second largest growth in Asia, trailing only China’s.

“Vietnam will definitely continue to share its success with other countries, including Pakistan, through promotion of cooperation”, the ambassador said.— Our Reporter