Buenos Aires (VNA) – The first round of negotiations for the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between Vietnam and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) concluded on August 28 after five days in Buenos Aires, marking a significant step forward in strengthening economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and South American countries.
The opening session, held on August 24, was attended by the Undersecretary for International Economic Negotiations and Integration of the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Roberto Alejandro Salafia; Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina Ngo Minh Nguyet; and members of the negotiating delegations from Vietnam and Mercosur.
During the session, both sides reaffirmed their determination to advance the negotiations in a spirit of goodwill, with a view to reaching a balanced agreement that aligns with the interests of both Vietnam and Mercosur.
As part of the negotiation round, on August 26, the delegations from Vietnam and Mercosur held a meeting with Argentina's Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship Pablo Quirno.
During the meeting, the Argentine foreign minister affirmed that Vietnam is an important partner for Argentina in Southeast Asia and expressed his hope that both sides will continue to expand and deepen their economic and trade cooperation.
He also proposed that Vietnam and Mercosur establish a specific roadmap for the negotiations to add momentum to the process.
During the working sessions, the parties actively exchanged views on the contents of the future agreement and clarified fundamental issues, laying the groundwork for continued talks in upcoming rounds.
The two sides agreed to maintain a spirit of cooperation, flexibility and a results-oriented approach, demonstrating their determination to seek appropriate solutions that balance interests and address the concerns of all parties.
The first round of negotiations on the Vietnam–MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) laid an important foundation for Vietnam and MERCOSUR to continue discussions and prepare for the next round, with the goal of reaching an effective and balanced trade agreement that brings practical benefits to all parties.
The launch of the PTA negotiations reflects the two sides’ interest and determination to strengthen economic ties, expand market access opportunities and further tap the trade potential between Vietnam and South America.
In a social media post, Minister Pablo Quirno said he was pleased to welcome the working groups participating in the first in-person round of PTA negotiations between MERCOSUR and Vietnam. He noted that Vietnam is currently Argentina’s sixth-largest trading partner, with bilateral goods trade reaching around 4 billion USD a year.
In December 2025, Vietnam and Mercosur – comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay – agreed to launch negotiations on a PTA in line with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. The move marked an important milestone in strengthening Mercosur –Vietnam relations, contributing to regional integration and creating fresh momentum for dynamic and mutually beneficial economic ties.
Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Buenos Aires, Ambassador Salafia stated that "Mercosur is very interested in expanding its network of trade agreements with all countries in the world," and that Vietnam is a particularly important partner.
"All four Mercosur countries have very intense business ties with Vietnam. And obviously, we want to increase these trade flows, which we hope to achieve through negotiations and by reaching a trade agreement with Vietnam," he said.
Regarding bilateral relations, Salafia noted that "with Argentina in particular, there is a very significant volume of trade and great complementarity".
He also highlighted the potential of Southeast Asia, a region which, he stated, has experienced significant development over the past few decades.
Thus, the first round of negotiations represents a concrete step toward expanding economic ties between Vietnam and Mercosur, in a context where both sides are seeking to diversify markets, products, and areas of cooperation./.
