Trusted partner for half a century

Despite being half a world apart, Vietnam and Argentina share and develop common values, civilisation and progress. The two peoples share the same aspiration for independence, democracy and development for the country; freedom, happiness and progress for the people, according to the thought with many similarities of the beloved President Ho Chi Minh and General Jose de San Martin, National Hero of Argentina and South America. It was a historic meeting of the two countries' thoughts and actions, creating a strong impetus in a new stage of development with a vision for the next 50 years.

“The best way to predict the future is to create it! If we want to imagine how the Vietnam-Argentina relationship will be in the next 50 years, we must work together to promote and create the future of this relationship.”.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue

In 2010, the two countries established their comprehensive partnership, paving the way for tremendous growth in trade relations. Vietnam is Argentina's fourth-largest trading partner in Asia, while Argentina is Vietnam's third-largest trading partner in Latin America.

Apart from increasing trade in traditional sectors such as agriculture, electronics, leather and footwear, the two countries have great opportunities for bilateral cooperation in producing lithium batteries for electric vehicles. Argentina has one of the largest lithium reserves in the world, while Vietnam is considered a potential market for electric cars in the near future.

During his talks and meetings with Argentinian leaders, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue affirmed, that Vietnam attaches great importance to developing relations with Argentina - one of Vietnam's leading partners in Latin America, and expressed his wishes that the two countries will further strengthen exchanges and coordination, to promote the traditional friendship and cooperation in a more substantive, effective and deeper manner.

“Vietnam attaches great importance to and wishes to further strengthen the comprehensive partnership with Argentina.”

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue

Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez highly appreciated Vietnam’s increasing reputation and position in the region and the world. He affirmed that the two countries still see great potential for cooperation, especially in agriculture, science and technology, energy, and climate change response. He stressed the need for the two governments to continue paying attention to creating favourable conditions for each country's key agricultural products, accessing each other's markets, stepping up trade promotion activities, and connecting businesses.

At his meeting with Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, President of the Honourable Senate of the Argentine Nation, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue affirmed Vietnam's desire to further deepen the Vietnam-Argentina Comprehensive Partnership, stressing that his trip to Argentina aims to consolidate and develop the bilateral friendship and cooperation in an increasingly substantive and effective manner. Expressing her admiration for Vietnam's heroic tradition and struggle against foreign invaders, President of the Honourable Senate of the Argentine Nation Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said, that she always considers Vietnam one of the development models in Southeast Asia in particular and Asia in general, that Argentina highly appreciated.

The leaders of the two countries held that over the past time, the Vietnam-Argentina Comprehensive Partnership has developed positively, substantively and effectively in many fields, from politics-diplomacy, economy and trade, to education, agriculture and justice. The two sides have maintained delegation exchanges and high-level contacts and effectively promoted cooperation mechanisms, such as the Inter-governmental Committee and the political consultation between the two foreign ministries.

Orientation to lift bilateral cooperation

During the talks, the two sides agreed to promote the exchange of visits on all channels; coordinate in organising meaningful activities in celebration of the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations; effectively implement cooperation agreements and promote collaboration in agriculture, economy-trade, science-technology, education, tourism, sports and culture. At the same time, they will expand cooperation in new fields such as high-tech industry, digital transformation, innovation, climate change response, and sustainable growth; and strengthen cooperation between localities.

“The year 2023 is a milestone in the bilateral relationship, as we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations.”

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue

The two sides are considering the establishment of a Strategic Partnership in agriculture, industry and energy. The two sides also focused discussion on the start of negotiations on the free trade agreement between Vietnam and member countries of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), and the effective implementation of cooperation mechanisms such as the Inter-governmental Committee and the political consultation, thereby balancing the bilateral trade in a long and sustainable way.

The two parliaments should work together to promote, encourage and create favourable conditions for the activities of the two countries’ businesses, including opening the market for their key agricultural products, supporting enterprises to access each other's markets to carry out business and investment activities, thus contributing to economic development for each country’s nation building and development cause. They should also promote the role of the legislative body in building and strengthening a legal corridor, to facilitate the implementation of bilateral cooperation activities in a stable and long-term manner.

Leaders of the two countries also agreed to maintain close cooperation and coordination and share experience in legislative work regarding issues such as assisting the poor, social welfare, and national development, thereby supporting each other to overcome current global difficulties and challenges.

Amid the unexpectedly changing international situation, the relationship between Vietnam and Argentina is considered a model for the South-South partnership and boasts great development potential. The two countries’ strengths can supplement each other, especially in agriculture, mining, science and technology. NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue’s visit to Argentina created momentum for the two countries to make better use of their potential, making their relationship more substantive and effective for the benefit of the two peoples, for peace and stability in each region, as well as in the world at large.

The journey of 30 years of development and companionship

At meetings with Uruguayan leaders, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue always affirmed that Vietnam attaches great importance to friendship and cooperation with Uruguay, while appreciating the solidarity and support of the Uruguayan people for the Vietnamese people, in the past struggle for national independence, as well as in the current process of national development. The Uruguayan side also expressed special respect to NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, through the grant of the title of Honorary Citizen of Montevideo City, to NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

The two sides realised that the economic-trade relationship between the two countries maintains growth momentum and there is still room and potential for cooperation. Uruguay, a country with just over three million people but with the highest per capita income in the region and a leading country in MERCOSUR, also shares many common economic interests with Vietnam, as well as supports Vietnam in international forums.

In the coming time, the two sides should continue to promote trade relations in bilateral and multilateral frameworks, striving to increase the total trade turnover and creating favourable conditions for enterprises of both sides to cooperate, access each other’s markets, and promote complementary strengths in the fields of large-scale cattle breeding, agro-fishery processing industry, biology-genetics, financial-banking services, logistics, information technology, construction management, construction consulting and construction training.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue emphasised, that Vietnam is ready to act as a bridge for investment and trade activities of Uruguay and other Southeast Asian countries, a potential market with nearly 700 million people. Accordingly, the NA Chairman suggested that Uruguay and MERCOSUR members soon complete internal consultation procedures and join with Vietnam to announce the launch of the Vietnam-MERCOSUR Free Trade Agreement, to further promote cooperation between ASEAN and MERCOSUR and between the Southeast Asia and South America region.

Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou highly appreciated Vietnam’s determination to strengthen bilateral relations through the exchange of delegations at all levels, to deepen the friendship and cooperation relationship. Uruguay is ready to serve as a gateway for Vietnam and ASEAN to access South America and MERCOSUR, through business and investment activities of enterprises of the two sides.

The 30-year milestone of Vietnam-Uruguay diplomatic relations is a solid foundation to help bring the two countries, despite geographical distances, closer to looking forward to the future, opening new chapters of friendship and solidarity among nations. The NA Chairman suggested that the two countries would coordinate to organise meaningful and practical activities to celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations, restore and promote the exchange of high-level delegations, effectively organise bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and strengthen people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

Promoting cooperation between the two countries’ parliaments

At the meeting with Speaker of the Senate of Uruguay Beatriz Argimon Cedeira and Speaker of the Chamber of Representatives of Uruguay Sebastian Andujar, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue appreciated Uruguay’s position and role in the South American region and international organisations, saying that the cooperation potential and opportunities between Vietnam and Uruguay are huge.

Within the framework of the visit, leaders of legislative bodies of the two countries signed a cooperation agreement between the National Assembly of Vietnam and the Senate and House of Representatives of Uruguay. This is the first time that the National Assembly of Vietnam and the two legislative bodies of Uruguay have signed a cooperation agreement, manifesting the importance they and the political parties in the Uruguay parliament, attach to the strengthening of relations and cooperation with Vietnam. This is also the second time that the National Assembly of Vietnam has signed a cooperation agreement with both the Senate and the House of Representatives of a country, after Australia.

The signing of the cooperation agreement demonstrated the importance the Senate and House of Representatives of Uruguay and political parties in the Uruguay parliament, attach to the strengthening of relations and cooperation with Vietnam, so that the two sides can effectively implement this cooperation agreement, contributing to enhancing political trust and mutual understanding between the two countries.

Along with the bilateral relations between the parliamentary offices, the two countries can intensify cooperation and the exchange of information and coordination, in regional and international multilateral parliamentary forms. In addition, the fact that the two sides established the Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group on this occasion is an important event, contributing to the effective implementation of parliamentary cooperation between the two countries, as well as promoting the strengthening of other cooperative activities for the development of bilateral relations.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue

 "Vietnam attaches great importance to and wishes to promote mutually beneficial cooperation with the Latin American region.".

Relations between Vietnam and MERCOSUR and with member countries are increasingly promoted in the fields of politics-diplomacy, economy-trade, investment and many other fields. MERCOSUR is the nation’s 13th largest trading partner, with two-way trade expanding by nearly five times, growing from 2.45 billion USD in 2011 to 12 billion USD in 2022. Trade flows between MERCOSUR and the country account for nearly a quarter of the total trade flows between MERCOSUR and ASEAN.

 PARLASUR leaders highly appreciated the fact that the Vietnamese delegation has leaders of ministries and branches in charge of important fields that MERCOSUR is interested in, such as science, technology, culture, education, commerce, and agriculture.
 They expressed their hope that after this visit, the Vietnam-MERCOSUR relationship and the relationship between the National Assembly of Vietnam and PARLASUR will be strengthened and developed stronger and more effectively, bringing benefits to the people of Vietnam and the people of the countries in the MERCOSUR bloc. In the coming time, PARLASUR leaders hope that the National Assembly of Vietnam and PARLASUR will establish a direct cooperation mechanism, through the establishment of a Friendship Parliamentary Group between Vietnam and PARLASUR.

Cooperation between the National Assembly of Vietnam and the MERCOSUR Parliament

• Strengthening contacts and the exchange of delegations, to exchange experiences in law-building and perfecting the institution and building appropriate mechanisms and legal frameworks, creating conditions to promote trade and investment cooperation between the two sides.
• Promoting coordination mechanisms within the framework of multilateral parliamentary forums; coordinating positions on regional and international issues of mutual concern; exchanging experiences and good practices in areas of cooperation.
• Cooperation to promote fair and sustainable trade, based on international standards; supporting the early start of negotiations for the Vietnam-MERCOSUR Free Trade Agreement.
• Supporting to improve the operational efficiency of the Intergovernmental Committee, the Joint Committee on Economy and Trade between Vietnam and MERCOSUR members, contributing to promoting trade exchanges between Vietnam and MERCOSUR countries.
• Encouraging cooperation in science and technology, education and training and strategic areas where the two sides have strengths and needs, in line with current trends.
• Reaffirming that maintaining dialogue and cooperation on the Parliamentary channel and people-to-people exchanges play an important role in the overall friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two sides.

 The National Assembly of Vietnam has a bilateral cooperative relationship with all parliaments of MERCOSUR member countries. The National Assembly of Vietnam is willing to contribute to connecting PARLASUR and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organisation. The PARLASUR’s leaders expressed great interest in the possibility that Vietnam can serve as a gateway for MERCOSUR to enter ASEAN, and affirmed that they back the early start of negotiations for the Vietnam - MERCOSUR FTA, to open markets for each other, creating favourable conditions for goods trade, diversifying the structure of import and export products, bringing two-way trade turnover to a strong growth in the coming time; At the same time, they hoped that the two countries would soon establish a direct cooperation mechanism between the National Assembly of Vietnam and PARLASUR, thereby promoting cooperation agreements between Vietnam and MERCOSUR.

Published: April 2023
Production Manager: CHU HONG THANG – TRUONG SON
Content: Ninh Son – Huy Vu
Design: Hoang Ha, Hung Hieu
Translation: NDO
Photo: VNA, quochoi.vn