The visit is of great significance as it takes place at a time when the two countries are celebrating 50 years of their diplomacy this year and are ramping up post-pandemic recovery, helping to raise the Vietnam – Argentina comprehensive partnership to new heights.
Vietnam and Argentina established diplomatic relations on October 25, 1973 and upgraded to a Comprehensive Partnership in 2010. After half a century, despite the geographical distance, the Vietnam - Argentina relations have grown strongly, reaping many encouraging results. The two countries have formed a number of cooperation mechanisms and signed many agreements, laying a firm legal foundation for bolstering bilateral cooperation.
Argentine Ambassador to Vietnam Luis Pablo Maria Beltramino said bilateral relations have been built on three pillars, namely political dialogue, trade exchanges, and technical cooperation and assistance.
The two countries have frequently maintained the exchange of delegations at all levels. In nearly three decades, three Argentine Presidents visited Vietnam, while the Vietnamese President and Prime Minister visited Argentina in 2004 and 2010 respectively.
The two countries signed an agreement on economic and trade cooperation and an agreement on mutual investment promotion and protection in 1996. Currently, Vietnam is Argentina’s sixth largest trading partner and fifth largest export market in the world, and Argentina’s key partner in South-South cooperation in Southeast Asia.
Argentina is currently Vietnam’s third largest trading partner in Latin America. Two-way trade turnover between the two countries has grown by 700% over the past 10 years, reaching about US$5 billion last year alone.
In addition, Argentina has actively supported Vietnam in improving soybean and rice cultivation techniques, and vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease and epidemics for cattle.
With regard to parliamentary cooperation, the two legislatures have regularly maintained the exchange of delegations. The National Congress of Argentina has welcomed many Vietnamese National Assembly delegations on visits to exchange information, share experiences and strengthen cooperation in various areas.
The National Assembly of Vietnam donated 20,000 masks to the National Congress of Argentina in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In turn, Argentina donated 500,000 doses of vaccine to Vietnam to support the vaccination campaign in the country.
The ambassador stressed that Argentina is looking forward to Hue’s visit, saying the two countries still have a lot of potential for cooperation, especially in trade and market access, one of Argentina’s top concerns.
“It is expected that Argentina and Vietnam will have more chances to exchange export products, helping to increase trade between the two countries,” said the ambassador ahead of Hue’s visit.
Meanwhile, Vu Hai Ha, chairman of the National Assembly Committee for Foreign Affairs, said that Argentina plays an important role in South America, and through Argentina, Vietnam wishes to promote relations with countries in Latin America and South America.
According to Ha, Argentina is a key member of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) comprising Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, which is expected to serve as the driving force for Vietnam to penetrate the Latin American market.
“Through the visit, we also want to promote negotiations and sign a free trade agreement between Vietnam and Mercosur in order to diversify Vietnam’s market amid global uncertainties and economic difficulties,” emphasized the legislator.
Ha revealed that in addition to talks and meetings, Hue is anticipated to deliver a speech on Vietnam’s foreign policy at the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He will exchange measures to bolster the comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and Argentina, especially in the areas where Argentina has strengths, such as agriculture, industry for agricultural production, green energy, renewable energy, and raw materials production, as well as market access for both sides’ goods.
During the visit, the National Assembly of Vietnam and the Argentine Chamber of Deputies (Lower House) are set to sign a cooperation document to deepen parliamentary ties between the two countries.
