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Israel–Vietnam relations are foreign relations between Israel and Vietnam. Vietnam and Israel established diplomatic relations on July 12, 1993. Israel opened its resident Embassy in Hanoi in December 1993 with D. Matnai appointed as the first Ambassador to Vietnam.[1]
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The first Vietnamese ambassador to Israel is Dinh Xuan Luu, who presented his credentials on July 8, 2009. The ambassador operates out of an embassy in Israel, a first since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1993. The previous ambassador was a non-resident ambassador, operating from Cairo. At their meeting, President Shimon Peres told the new ambassador: "I congratulate the Vietnamese government on their decision to establish an embassy in Israel. The establishment of an embassy opens a new era in the relationship of the two countries."[2]
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have frequently conducted reciprocal visits at various levels, and have strengthened ties in such fields as business, education, culture, technological cooperation and agriculture. The visits arranged by the Israeli government included those of delegations comprising entrepreneurs and businessmen, academic groups, journalists, artists and musicians, legal workers, and so on.[3]
In terms of economic cooperation, Israeli businessmen have shown considerable interest in Vietnam and organized many business trips to the country to explore investment opportunities in agriculture, aquaculture, tourism, oil and gas exploitation and production, telecommunications, and pharmacy. In August 2004, Israel and Vietnam signed an Agreement of Economic and Trade Cooperation, an important legal basis for the further development of trade. The two-way trade turnover has reached 70 million US dollars in 2005. Two Israeli corporations, Agronet and Astraco, have opened offices in Hanoi.[1][3]
Technology and know-how developed at Kibbutz Afikim will be used in a half-a-billion-dollar milk production project in Vietnam. The project involves establishing a dairy of 30,000 cows to supply 500,000 liters of milk a day, about 40% of Vietnam's present milk consumption. Afikim will be responsible for all stages of the enterprise, including breeding and preparing land for crops that will be used as feed.[4]
Israel has usually taken the initiative in promoting its relations with Vietnam by sponsoring many short-term training programs for Vietnamese agriculturalists, meteorologists, health experts, trade union members, and scientists, with more than 220 scholarships granted to date. Israel has also dispatched many specialists to Vietnam to give in-service training to their Vietnamese colleagues, especially in agriculture. Government officials and professionals from various ministries in Vietnam have visited Israel to study tours as well as for trainings. Various on-the-spot courses have been conducted in various fields, such as agriculture, aquaculture, livestock, dairy milk production and education, under the auspices of MASHAV, the Israeli Center for International Cooperation.[1][3]
With regard to humanitarian and philanthropic assistance, Israel donated 5,000 US dollars and 200 kg of medicines to Vietnamese victims to help them overcome the aftermath of the disastrous floods in 1995 and 1997. Israel also extended health care aids to Vietnam in terms of facilities and free-of-charge eye operations for the disadvantaged in the mountainous Northern Vietnam from 2004 to 2005.[1]
The cultural cooperation and exchange has been accentuated by encouraging the performance of Israeli artists in Vietnam, cultivating a broad interest in Israeli performing arts in areas such as dance and music. The Israeli Film Weeks, and the Israel’s participation in International Film Festivals in Hanoi are always a cornerstone in the framework of Israeli cultural activities in Vietnam.[3]
The governments of Vietnam and Israel signed an agreement on double tax avoidance in Hanoi on August 4, 2009, creating a transparent and healthy legal environment for their businesses to increase transactions. Signatories to the document were Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Xuan Ha and Israeli Ambassador to Vietnam Effie Ben Matityau. They both stressed the importance of the agreement in promoting economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.[5]
Vietnam and Israel have signed an aviation transport deal and a protocol on finance under which Israel grants a long-term credit to Vietnam. They both expect to sign an agreement on maritime transport very soon. Despite being separated by a great geographical distance, two-way trade between Vietnam and Israel increases each year. Vietnam mainly exports footwear, clothes and farm products to Israel, and imports hi-tech equipment, chemicals and fertilizers from Israel.
Currently, Israel ranks 60th among 85 foreign investors in Vietnam.
A forum to further scientific andtechnological cooperation between Vietnam and Israel took place in Hanoi on January 18, 2010, drawing the participation of close to 160 businesses from both countries. Speaking at thisfirst forum of its kind in Vietnam, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam, Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Pham Gia Tuc, stated that the Vietnamese government sees Israel as an important partner in its policyto boost multi-faceted cooperation with countries in the Middle East.[6]
Vietnam was worried about the rising tension in the Middle East and condemned Israel for its decision to build new resettlement areas in East Jerusalem, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported, quoting the Ministry of Foreign Affair's spokeswoman Nguyen Phuong Nga as saying Friday, March 26, 2010. In response to a question about Vietnam's reaction to developments in the Middle East, Nga said: "Vietnam supports the statement released on March 19 by the Middle East Quartet (United States, Russia, European Union and United Nations) and calls for restraint from the concerned parties."[7]
She said that Vietnam also called on both sides to avoid unilateral action that might aggravate the situation in order to create conditions for the resumption of the peace process in the Middle East. In the March 19 statement the Middle East diplomatic Quartet condemned Israel's plans to build new settler homes and said unilateral actions would not be recognised by the international community. Reports said the group "condemns Israel's decision to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem." The Quartet reaffirmed that unilateral actions taken by either party cannot prejudge the outcome of negotiations and would not be recognised by the international community.
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