Russia: Vietnam's FM thanks Lavrov for Russia's support for APEC 2017 in Da Nang

Vietnam’s Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh thanked Russia’s top diplomat Sergei Lavrov for "the fact that Russia will help Vietnam in the chairmanship of APEC [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation] next year."
The diplomats were speaking in Moscow on Thursday when Lavrov noted that “despite the difficult situation in the global economy, trade turnover between Russia and Vietnam is growing." He said “our interaction is certainly not limited to the energy sector. There are many potential projects in the industrial and mining, transport, agriculture and banking sectors."
Pham Binh Minh echoed that saying “we agreed that we will contribute to bringing trade turnover to $10 billion (€9.46 billion) in 2020." He also underlined that Hanoi “wants Russia to continue playing an active and important role in maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region." Pham Binh Minh went on to say that this also concerns “security and freedom of navigation and air movement, as well as the peaceful settlement of disputes in the East Sea [South China Sea]."
Vietnam will be hosting APEC meetings in 2017 with the main event – the meeting of leaders – taking place in Da Nang.