Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh met Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis (Photo: Doan Tan/ VNA)

The meeting formed part of the Vietnamese leader’s official visit to Latvia, which began Thursday. Thinh asked both sides to promptly sign an agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic passport holders and suggested politics-diplomacy, trade-investment, education-training, defense-security, and consular affairs cooperation measures.

President Vejonis said Latvia is ready to support Vietnam in enhancing relations with the European Union, lauding the conclusion of negotiations for the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement. He expressed his hope that the deal will be signed and ratified soon to create a basis for future cooperation between Vietnam and the EU, including Latvia.

The two sides agreed to strengthen coordination at international and regional forums, especially within the framework of the United Nations, increase delegation exchanges at all levels, and strengthen ties in education and science-technology.

Vice President Thinh and President Vejonis witnessed the signing of an agreement on double taxation avoidance and income tax evasion prevention and an accompanying protocol between the Vietnamese and Latvian governments.

On Thursday, the Vice President visited Riga Technical University, the oldest technical university in the Baltic region.