Vietnam, Slovenia have great potential to strengthen cooperation: Ambassador
Vietnam and Slovenia have a lot of potential to strengthen cooperation for mutual development, and for peace, security and stability in the two countries as well as in the region and the world at large, said Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria and Slovenia Nguyen Trung Kien.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria and Slovenia Nguyen Trung Kien (left) (File Photo: VNA broadcasts)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Slovenia have a lot of potential to strengthen cooperation for mutual development, and for peace, security and stability in the two countries as well as in the region and the world at large, said Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria and Slovenia Nguyen Trung Kien.
At an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Vietnam- Slovenia diplomatic relations (June 7, 1994-2024), the ambassador emphasised that in fact, the two countries’ relations started more than 30 years ago when Slovenia was part of Yugoslavia.
Vietnam had a good relationship with Yugoslavia, which supported its cause of national liberation and unification, he said.
Three years after Slovenia gained independence in 1991, it established diplomatic relations with Vietnam. Since then, the bilateral ties have kept growing with exchanges of delegations, including high-ranking ones, and the regular meetings of the Vietnam - Slovenia Intergovernmental Committee on Economic Cooperation.
The third meeting of the committee was held in October 2023 in Ljubljana under the co-chair of Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon. Previously, the Slovenia official paid an official visit to Vietnam from May 22-23, 2023 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son. During the visit, the two sides outlined directions for promoting bilateral relations.
Regarding trade ties, the ambassador said that two-way trade between Vietnam and Slovenia has grown steadily in recent years, reaching 573 million USD in 2023. In the first four months of 2024, the figure hit 161 million USD, with Vietnam's exports worth 127.5 million USD, equivalent to the level in the same period last year and its imports 33.5 million USD, down 0.6%. Slovenia has three projects with a total registered capital of 2.27 million USD in Vietnam, ranking 92nd out of 144 countries and territories investing in the Southeast Asian nation.
The cooperation and exchanges between Vietnam and Slovenia in many other fields have been also developing, the ambassador said. Slovenia has appointed an Honorary Consul and will soon open a consulate in Ho Chi Minh City to strengthen relations with Vietnam.
ꦆ According to the ambassador, with a favourable geographical location, Slovenia is an important gateway for Vietnam to bring its goods to Europe; while Vietnam, with a large population and a rapidly growing economy in the dynamic Southeast Asian region, Vietnam is a promising market for Slovenia's innovation products./.
After 30 years of developing bilateral relations, Vietnam has become a key trade partner of Slovenia in Asia, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia Tanja Fajon has stated.
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon have recently co-chaired the third meeting of the Vietnam-Slovenia Inter-Governmental Committee in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
President of the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) Tibor Simonka has affirmed the readiness to cooperate with Vietnam to create conditions for the two countries’ enterprises, while meeting with Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria and Slovenia Nguyen Trung Kien.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
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.
