Hanoi (VNA) – Austriawas one of the first western countries to set up diplomatic ties with Vietnam.Fifty years have passed since the establishment of the relationship, the two countrieshave enjoyed great strides in bilateral cooperation.

Thriving bilateral relations

Accordingto Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria Nguyen Trung Kien, since the diplomaticrelations were set up on December 1, 1972, the two countries’ relations have recordedprogress in all aspects, from politics to economy, trade, and investment.

Mutual visits and meetings between leaders of Vietnam andAustria have been maintained.

Most recently, Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong DinhHue visited the European nation in September 2021 to attend the fifth WorldConference of Speakers of Parliament (WCSP5) at the invitation of President ofthe Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Duarte Pacheco and President of theAustrian National Council Wolfgang Sobotka. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh heldphone talks with his Austrian counterpart Sebastian Kurz on September 16 last year. InOctober 2018, then PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc paid an official visit to Austria.

Kiennoted that Austria is currently among the top 10 EU trading partners of Vietnam. Bilateraltrade stood at around 3.6 billion USD in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemicbroke out. Despite a slight decline due to the pandemic’s impacts, trade hasbounced back considerably since August 2020, when the EU - Vietnam Free TradeAgreement (EVFTA) took effect, and approximated 3.5 billion USD in 2021.

As of August 2021, Austria ranked 50th among 141 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, with 37 validprojects worth over 147.5 million USD, according to the Ministry of Planningand Investment's statistics.

The ambassador noted aside from politics and economy, bilateral relations have also beenexpanded to other spheres, including education - training, science -technology, and culture, with a number of activities held.

There are about 5,000 - 5,500Vietnamese people in Austria at present. To many of them, Austria has becometheir second home. The Vietnamese community there has been contributing to the two countries’ friendship and close-knit ties, according to the diplomat.

Jointefforts to be made to enhance partnership

In the phone talks with AustrianMinister for European and International Affairs AlexanderSchallenberg on June 1 this year, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to the enhancement of traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation with theEU country.

To develop bilateral ties moredynamically, practically, and effectively in the time ahead, they agreed tomaintain the exchange of all-level delegations and meetings, coordinate to organiseactivities marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties, increasetrade and investment promotion activities, expand partnerships to the fieldsmatching Austria’s strength and Vietnam’s demand like renewable energy, climatechange response, waste treatment, and processing industry.

Thetwo sides agreed to work closely to successfully hold the coming session of thejoint committee for economic and trade cooperation, and capitalise onopportunities and advantages generated by the EVFTA.

Son asked the Austrian Government to promote the Austrian parliament’sratification of the EU - Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

The ministers also affirmed thecontinuation of close coordination and mutual support at multilateral forumsand organisations like the United Nations, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), andthe ASEAN - EU cooperation framework.

Celebrationsof 50-year diplomatic ties

Some events have been taking place tocelebrate the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam - Austrian relations.

Amongthem, an Austria - Vietnam workshop on future mobility was held last June bythe Austrian Embassy, the Vietnamese Ministry of Transport, and the HanoiUniversity of Science and Technology.

InJuly, an exhibition on famous Austrian composers took place at the NationalLibrary of Vietnam. Meanwhile, the Austrian Embassy in cooperation with the Vietnam National Academy of Musicand Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music will organise concerts of the AUREUM SaxophonQuartet in Hanoi on September 28 and HCM City on October1.

OnSeptember 28 - 29, the Vietnam Day in Austria will be organised in Vienna. This programme will also be attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son during his official visit to Austria.

Withinthe framework of the event, the minister will cut the ribbon to officially openthe Vietnam Cultural Space, co-chair a ceremony of the 50th anniversary ofdiplomatic relations, and deliver opening remarks at the Vietnam - AustriaBusiness Forum./.