OREANDA-NEWS  Russia could use the Vietnamese currency, the dong, to settle with a number of Asian countries as a substitute for the dollar. Such a proposal was made in the commentary of the National Assembly by the head of the Russian-Asian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RASP) Vitaly Mankevich.

According to him, Russia and Vietnam have a wide range of cooperation. For example, last year 150 thousand Gazelle cars were produced in this country. In addition, about 40 percent of the turnover was paid in national currencies.

Mankevich added that Vietnam is important for Moscow as a geopolitical and strategic partner and can become a hub for trade with other Asian countries. "I think we can use Vietnamese dong in this trade," he said.

Earlier, during his visit to Vietnam, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the share of transactions in national currencies in the trade turnover of the two countries was close to 60 percent. According to him, a joint Vietnamese-Russian bank plays a key role in servicing foreign trade operations between the countries.

Vietnam supplies clothes, fruits and vegetables to Russia, and in return receives food, mineral raw materials, machinery and technological equipment.