Italian President Sergio Mattarella. (Source: VNA)
Italian President Sergio Mattarella’s November 5-8 state visit to Vietnam is intended to enhance the strategic partnership between the two countries in various fields, including politics-diplomacy, defence-security, economics, culture, education, science-technology and tourism.
The visit, the first made by an Italian President to Vietnam since the two countries set up their diplomatic ties in 1973, will create favourable conditions for Italian businesses to invest in Vietnam.
It will also offer a chance for the two countries to increase their collaboration at multilateral forums and international organisations as well as exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual concern.
The political ties between Vietnam and Italy have been incessantly consolidated and seen marked developments. Italy was the first Western European country to actively strengthen cooperation between Vietnam and the European Union.
In early 2013, the two nations established their strategic partnership during Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s State visit to Italy.
In September that year, they approved an action plan for the implementation of the strategic partnership from 2013-2014 on the occasion of Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai’s visit to the European country. The two countries’ leaders are currently discussing another action plan for 2015-2016.
Trade between Vietnam and Italy has drastically increased over the years, hitting 4.08 billion USD last year. The figure reached 2.89 billion USD in the first eight months of this year, an annual rise of 6 percent.
By August 2015, Italy had 66 investment projects worth nearly 392 million USD in Vietnam. Some major Italian groups operating effectively in the Southeast Asian country include ENI, Piaggio, Bonfiglioli and Ariston.
Vietnam is among Italy’s 10 priority emerging markets for developing trade and investment with.
Bilateral connections in culture and education have seen stable developments. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs annually grants graduate and post-graduate scholarships to Vietnam and the Italian Government has coordinated with the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to help Vietnam restore the My Son Sanctuary with 435,000 USD in total.
The two sides have regularly organised cultural weeks and months to increase mutual understanding between their peoples. On the occasion of the 40 th anniversary of diplomatic ties (2013), the Vietnam Year in Italy and the Italy Year in Vietnam were held successfully.
Italy is now home to nearly 4,000 Vietnamese people, most of who live in northern provinces and cities where industries are developing.-VNA
Italy has prioritised developing relations with Vietnam in the Southeast Asian region in particular and Asia in general, Vice President of the Senate Valeria Fedeli has said.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella suggested a stronger effort from both Vietnamese and Italian Governments in order to lift bilateral relations to a new level.
Investment and trade between Vietnam and Italy haven’t been on par with their potential and demand, the countries’ Joint Committee on Economic Cooperation admitted at its second meeting in Rome.
The Embassy of Vietnam in Italy and the Association of Students of Vietnam in Italy have co-organised a “Day of Vietnamese Culture” in the central city of Cassino.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella. (Source: VNA)
