Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyen Thi Bich Hue (R) in an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Relations between Vietnamand Italy are going from strength to strength, according to VietnameseAmbassador to Italy Nguyen Thi Bich Hue.
The two countries set up diplomaticties 45 years ago and a strategic partnership five years ago, enhancing theircooperation in politics, economy, culture and education, she said.
Hue made the statement in a recent interview withVietnam News Agency on the occasion of Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’supcoming visit to Vietnam and attendance at the third High-Level Dialogue onASEAN-Italy Economic Relations in Hanoi on June 5-6.
The two countries have regularly exchanged politicaldelegations, with notable visits to Italy by Party General Secretary Nguyen PhuTrong in 2013, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung in 2014, PresidentTran Dai Quang in 2016, and Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh in 2018 as wellas the visits to Vietnam by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in 2014 and PresidentSergio Mattarella in 2015.
The two countries have maintained bilateralcooperation mechanisms such as the deputy foreign ministerial politicalconsultation, the deputy ministerial defence policy dialogue and the jointcommission on economic cooperation, Hue said, adding that they also supporteach other at multilateral forums and organisations like the United Nations(UN), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
Two-way trade tripled within the past decadefrom 1.5 billion USD in 2009 to more than 4.6 billion USD in 2018. Vietnam isthe biggest trade partner of Italy in the Association of Southeast AsianNations (ASEAN) while Italy is the third largest trade partner of Vietnam inthe European Union (EU), she said.
Bilateral cooperation in other fields such asculture, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges has also beenenhanced. Many localities of the two countries have forged connectivity inrealms from education-training and environmental and urban management to smartcities and high-tech agriculture.
Regarding the third High-Level Dialogue onASEAN-Italy Economic Relations, the Ambassador expressed her belief thatthrough the dialogue, Italian businesses will better understand the benefits ofcooperating in trade and investment with ASEAN member countries, includingVietnam, especially after the signing and ratification of the EU-Vietnam FreeTrade Agreement (EVFTA).-VNA
The Vietnamese Government will create favourable conditions for Italian enterprises to invest in the Southeast Asian country, helping increase the trade value between the two nations, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said.
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan highlighted the development of the Vietnam-Italy strategic partnership while receiving Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Enzo Moavero Milanesi in Hanoi on May 7.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held talks with Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Enzo Moavero Milanesi in Hanoi on May 7.
The European Union – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA)will open up opportunities for Italian firms, especially- small and medium-sized ones, heard recent bilateral economic and trade promotion seminars held in Parma and Piacenza cities, the Italian northern region of Emilia – Romagna.
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.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyen Thi Bich Hue (R) in an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency (Photo: VNA) 
