Our countries both have fast growing economies and there is vast potential to expand bilateral trade and investment in many areas.

"There is also a need to create awareness among the respective business communities regarding the value-added business opportunities prevalent in both countries," Motlanthe said.

Bilateral co-operation

Both leaders confirmed the importance of the Partnership Forum for Economic, Trade, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Co-operation as a vehicle to conduct bilateral cooperation.

"To this end, we have agreed that the 2nd Meeting of the Partnership Forum would be held in South Africa in the course of 2011 at a mutually convenient date."

Specific issues to be discussed would include the implementation of the agreements that the two leaders would sign during the state visit - cooperation in the field of safety and public security, trade, investment, tourism among others.

Motlanthe said South Africa also wanted to broaden trade relations, especially in the field of defence cooperation.

"Denel Dynamics has submitted a bid for a contract to supply its surface-to-air missile system to the Vietnamese Navy.

"We believe that the South African system is superior to other systems and that a successful bid would open new areas of cooperation between our two countries in the field of defence and would further strengthen the people-to-people contact," the Deputy President said.