For his part, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung welcomed the Vietnam visit by PM Wickramanyaka as the first high-level visit by a Sri Lankan leader in the past 30 years.

PM Dung shared the view with his Sri Lankan counterpart that the two countries should create favourable conditions for their business circles to explore investment and cooperation opportunities in their respective countries and contribute to promoting mutual understanding between Vietnam and Sri Lanka.

He told his guest that the Vietnamese Government is considering the early opening of the Vietnamese Embassy in Colombo. He proposed that the Vietnam-Sri Lanka Inter-governmental Committee start the second meeting soon to work on areas of cooperation agreed by the two sides.

The Vietnamese Prime Minister said that the two countries should early sign a new trade agreement to encourage investment in key projects to produce construction materials, wood products, electronics and consuming goods.

The PM spoke highly of the signing of an agreement on agricultural cooperation between the two countries during the visit and asked the two sides to boost information and expert exchange and increase cooperation in the agricultural sector, particularly in planting, processing and selling tea and coconuts. He also expressed his hope that Vietnam and Sri Lanka will continue to cooperate in the industrial, education and training and tourism sectors.

Prime Minister Wickramanyaka assured his Vietnamese counterpart that Sri Lanka will actively cooperate with Vietnam to implement bilateral agreements.

PM Wickramanyaka invited Mr Dung to visit Sri Lanka and the invitation was accepted with pleasure.

After the talks, the two PMs witnessed the signing of an agreement on agricultural cooperation between the two countries.