The President made these observations when the Vietnamese Ambassador, Madam Phan Kieu Thu paid a courtesy call at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday.

Ambassador Thu conveyed the Vietnamese Government’s congratulations to President Sirisena on his Presidential election victory. She also expressed deep appreciation of the successful implementation of the good governance programme.

Madam Thu said that a Vietnamese ministerial delegation would visit Sri Lanka next month for the Meeting of the Sri Lanka Vietnam Joint Commission on Trade and Commerce. She expressed hope that the meeting would result in further expansion of bilateral trade and investment.

The Vietnamese Ambassador briefed the President about the increased cooperation between the two countries in education, trade, tourism, agriculture and industry.

She extended an invitation on behalf of the Vietnamese President to President Sirisena to visit Vietnam. The President said that he has an extremely busy schedule this year and promised to consider a visit to Vietnam in 2016.