The two guests are in Vietnam to attend the Asian Development Bank (ADB) 44th annual meeting.

At a separate reception for the IMF Deputy Managing Director, the Party leader highly valued the IMF’s important role in boosting international monetary cooperation, economic growth and assistance for its member countries, including Vietnam through providing consultations on economic policies and technical and financial assistance.

He also spoke highly of Naoyuki Shinohara’s important contributions to strengthening the cooperation between Vietnam and the IMF in particular and between Vietnam and the international financial-monetary community in general.

Vietnam is actively implementing measures to stabilise its macro economy, curb inflation and ensure social welfare, Trong said, adding that the country wants to receive more effective support and assistance from the IMF and international financial-monetary institutions in order to successfully fulfil its set socio-economic objectives, contributing to the regional and world economic-financial stability.

For his part, the IMF Deputy Managing Director appreciated Vietnam ’s economic development potential as well as its socio-economic achievements.

In the context of complex developments regarding the current financial crisis and economic downturn in the region and the world, Vietnam ’s determination to implement packages of macroeconomic stabilisation and inflation control solutions was very important and essential, he said.

He also expressed his belief in Vietnam ’s future development prospects and affirmed that the IMF is always ready to strengthen cooperation and assistance for the Southeast Asian country.

While meeting with the Indian Finance Minister, the Party chief highly valued the increasing role and important contributions of India in addressing regional and international issues and expressed his belief that India will continue harvesting greater achievements and holding an adequate position in the region and the world at large.

Trong stressed that the Vietnamese Party, State and people attach importance to further fostering the strategic partnership with India . He expressed his wish that the two countries would continue to boost relations between their Parties, legislative bodies, and people-to-people exchange, helping develop and deepen their strategic partnership.

Minister Pranab Mukherjee spoke highly of Vietnam ’s organisation work and active participation in activities during the annual ADB meeting, affirming that India wishes to enhance cooperation with Vietnam in all fields ranging from politics, security and defence to trade, investment, finance, education and training, and science and technology.

On the occasion, Party General Secretary and NA Chairman Trong conveyed his invitations to President Sonia Gandhi and General Secretary Rahul Gandhi of the Indian National Congress Party to visit Vietnam./.