On the eve of his recent return from a historic visit to Vietnam, President Shimon Peres hailed his hosts, saying that Vietnam could become a key economic partner for Israel in Asia.
“I was welcomed, with honor, by the Vietnamese leadership, who are ready to embark on a new chapter in strategic relations with Israel. Vietnam could become an important anchor for Israel in Asia,” Peres said before boarding his return flight to Tel Aviv.
Peres is the first Israeli president to visit the Southeast Asian nation. The Vietnamese media reported that trade between the two countries totaled a mere $220 million last year, but was continually on the rise. Israeli exports to Vietnam have tripled over the last two years, significantly boosting each country’s strategic importance to the other.
On Nov. 23, Peres and his Vietnamese counterpart Truong Tan Sang announced an upgrade in diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries. The agreement with Vietnam, a country that for decades has been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause, is being viewed by analysts as a turning point in Israel-Vietnam ties.
—Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JointMedia News Service