Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc receives Italian Ambassador Cecilia Piccion in Hanoi on October 24, 2018 (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

PM Phuc congratulated Ms. Piccion on her successful tenure in Vietnam, saying she has left strong impression on her contributions to the Vietnam-Italy strategic partnership.

Mr. Phuc highlighted the cooperation potential between the two countries in trade and investment, and said the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) will boost their two-way trade turnover. He said the EVFTA is a good opportunity for Vietnamese and Italian businesses and urged Italy to speed up the signing of the agreement.