President Triet made the remark while meeting with Wladimir Pomar, Advisor to the Brazil Labour in Ho Chi Minh City on April 29.

President Triet thanked foreign friends including Brazilian people for Vietnam’s struggle for national independence.

He expressed his hope that relations between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Labour Party of Brazil would be boosted to help both countries open up a new period of comprehensive cooperation in politics, economics, culture, science and technology, education, health care and national defence.

He mentioned the previously signed protocol on cooperation in the production and use of ethanol between the two governments, and asked Brazil to assist Vietnam in bio technologies, energy and mining.

Wladimir Pomar recalled Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva’s wish to strengthen ties with Vietnam, especially in trade and investment. He said that the two countries are working together in the hope of boosting comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

He added that both sides have a lot of potential to expand links in trade and Vietnam’s infrastructure investments. He stressed that Brazil welcomes Vietnamese students to study in the country and proposed a programme of exchange for businesses between the two countries in the near future.

Also present at the reception was Brazilian Ambassador Joao De Mendoca Lima Neto who talked about the new agenda that Brazil and Vietnam share. Brazil now permits Vietnamese businesses to export seafood to its market and the first meeting of the Vietnam-Brazil Inter-governmental Commission on Cooperation will be held in mid-May.