Hanoi, Oct. 15 -- Vietnam and Pakistan have officially launched negotiations on a bilateral preferential trade agreement (VPPTA), marking a new step toward deeper and more sustainable economic cooperation between the two countries. The move was made during a working visit to Pakistan by Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien from October 13 to 15, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. On October 14, the Vietnamese minister held talks with Pakistani Minister of Commerce Jam Kamal Khan in Islamabad to discuss measures for strengthening bilateral trade and investment relations. During the talks, Dien said that Vietnam considers Pakistan one of its most promising partners in South Asia, given the latter's strategic locatio...