Hanoi, May 9 -- The event saw the participation of General Secretary, President of Viet Nam To Lam, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and representatives of more than 300 businesses from both sides.

According to the top Vietnamese leader, if effectively connected, Sri Lanka could become Viet Nam's strategic transshipment hub to the Indian Ocean while Viet Nam could serve as a gateway for Sri Lanka to gain deeper access to ASEAN region and global markets.

The bilateral trade remains modest, he said, adding that the two-way investment has yet to match the potential of the relationship, and tourism connectivity and people-to-people exchanges are still limited.

He urged both sides to promote cooperation in highly complementary s...