Hanoi is willing to share its agricultural development experiences with Sri Lanka, Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung said at a reception for Sri Lankan Ambassador to Vietnam Sampath Prasanna Walpita Gamage in Hanoi on October 31.

Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung receives Sri Lankan Ambassador to Vietnam Sampath Prasanna Walpita Gamage. Photo: Thuy Linh

Chung affirmed that Hanoi’s enterprises are always willing to transfer technology to Sri Lanka’s in rice cultivation, fresh water aquaculture, among others.

Chung said Vietnam and Sri Lanka, as well as Hanoi and Colombo, share many cultural similarities. The two countries’ people always attach great importance to Buddhism and this is considered the national religion.

The two countries have had long-term cooperation and huge cooperation potential in numerous fields such as commerce, education, tourism and agriculture, Chung said, expressing his desire to promote investment, tourism and student exchanges.

The Hanoi mayor hoped that the ambassador will be a bridge to promote Sri Lanka-Vietnam cooperation. As Sri Lanka and Vietnam are preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations in 2020, he affirmed that Hanoi will support Sri Lankan art troupes to perform in Hanoi.

For his part, Sampath Prasanna Walpita Gamage said that some 1,800 Vietnamese tourists visit Sri Lanka and this is a positive sign. Thereby, he pledged to focus efforts to attract Vietnamese tourists to Sri Lanka.

It is expected that there will be numerous activities on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Sri Lanka, including art activities and cultural exchanges, the ambassador added.

He affirmed that he would foster the Vietnam-Sri Lanka relationship, especially in the fields mentioned by the Hanoi mayor.

The Sri Lankan ambassador also expressed his desire to set up a direct flight from Sri Lanka to Vietnam and hoped that the two sides will deploy the project as soon as possible.