Vice President’s visit to help reinforce Vietnam - Croatia ties: Ambassador
The ongoing official visit to Croatia by Vietnamese Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan will help intensify bilateral relations in multiple fields, Vietnamese Ambassador to Hungary and Croatia Nguyen Thi Bich Thao has said.
Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan (second, left) is welcomed by State Secretary of the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs Zdenko Lucić at Zagreb Airport on October 9. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The ongoing official visit to Croatia by Vietnamese Vice PresidentVo Thi Anh Xuan will help intensify bilateral relations in multiple fields, Vietnamese Ambassador to Hungary and Croatia Nguyen Thi Bich Thao has said.
Talkingto the press, the ambassador said since thediplomatic relationship was set up in 1994, this is the first high-rankingvisit to Croatia by a senior leader of Vietnam.
Thetrip from October 9 to 14 aims to affirm that Vietnam treasures the traditionalfriendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Croatia, help to strengthenbilateral ties, and discuss measures for reinforcing economic, trade andinvestment links and capitalising on the EU - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA),she noted.
Thediplomat highlighted the development of the two countries’ political and diplomaticrelations in the recent past as seen in many delegation exchanges, their PrimeMinisters’ meetings within the frameworks of the Asia - Europe Meeting (ASEM)events and United Nations sessions, close coordination and mutual support atmultilateral forums, and contributions of many initiatives to regional andinternational cooperation mechanisms.
Thetwo sides have also shown their friendship and mutual assistance amid theCOVID-19 pandemic, Thao said, noting that Croatia donated 60,000 doses of AstraZenecavaccine to Vietnam in October 2021.
Sheaffirmed that the Vice President’s visit is an occasion for Vietnamese andCroatian leaders to affirm their willingness to enhance partnerships between thetwo countries, as well as between Vietnam and the EU. It is also a chance for theSoutheast Asian nation to persuade EU members to ratify the EU-Vietnam InvestmentProtection Agreement (EVIPA) and propose the European Commission to lift the “yellowcard” warning against Vietnam’s seafood.
Thaosaid Croatia is a tourism hub and also a logistics service centre in Europe. Meanwhile,Vietnam, which is strong at light industries such as garment, footwear,aquaculture, agricultural production and processing, and tourism, is completelycapable of meeting the Croatian market’s demand.
Bilateraltrade has recorded considerable expansion in recent years, with average annual growthof 14% between 2015 and 2021. It topped 116 million USD in 2019, surging 168.5%from 2014, and regained growth momentum after the COVID-19 pandemic to surpass90 million USD in 2021, including 52.6 million USD of Vietnamese exports - up 4.4%from a year earlier. Trade revenue reached 87.6 million USD in the first eightmonths of 2022, up 46.2% year on year, with Vietnamese exports up 76% to 58.1million USD.
Theambassador said the two countries’ leaders will also discuss the possibility ofcollaboration in such potential areas as navigation, shipbuilding, logistics, cleanenergy, tourism, and education - training.
Sheexpressed her belief that after this visit, bilateral relations will becomeeven stronger, especially in economy, trade, and investment./.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Hungary and Croatia Nguyen Thi Bich Thao presented her letter of credentials to Croatian President Zoran Milanović at a ceremony in Zagreb capital of Croatia on February 24, during which she promised to do utmost to help further promote the traditional friendship between the two countries.
Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Thi Bich Thao recently had working sessions with Croatian State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs Frano Matušić and State Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Tonči Glavina.
Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan will attend the 6th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA 6) at the invitation of President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang announced at a regular press conference on October 6.
Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan and a delegation of Vietnam arrived in Zagreb on October 9 afternoon (local time), beginning their official visit to Croatia.
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.
Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan (second, left) is welcomed by State Secretary of the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs Zdenko Lucić at Zagreb Airport on October 9. (Photo: VNA) 
