(VOVworld) – President Tran Dai Quang received Italian ambassador to Vietnam Cecilia Piccioni on Thursday. He said Vietnam values Italy’s role in the EU and the world and hopes the two countries’ strategic partnership will continue to deepen. He called for increased visit exchanges and cooperation in national defense and security and said their countries’ localities should be encouraged to establish cooperation. President Quang said Vietnam and Italy should continue cooperation at global forums such as the United Nations, ASEAN-EU, and ASEM as well as in addressing global issues such as sustainable development. He asked Italy to support Vietnam’s bid to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term. President Quang praised the steady increase in two-way trade, which is expected to reach 5 billion USD in 2016.

Ambassador Piccioni said Italy also values its cooperation with Vietnam and a number of Italian ministerial-level delegations will visit Vietnam later this year. She added that Italy wants to promote cooperation with Vietnam on the 3 pillars of politics, economics, and culture and that Vietnam is Italy’s biggest partner in ASEAN.