Vietnamese PM meets with Spanish counterpart in Brussels
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón on the sidelines of the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit marking 45 years of diplomatic ties in Brussels, Belgium, on December 14.
PM Pham Minh Chinh (second, right) at the meeting with his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón (second, left). (Photo: VNA)
Brussels (VNA) – Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with hisSpanish counterpart PedroSánchez Pérez-Castejón on the sidelines of the ASEAN-EU CommemorativeSummit marking 45 years of diplomatic ties in Brussels, Belgium, on December14.
Themeeting took place at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 45thfounding anniversary of diplomatic relations (1977-2022).
Chinhaffirmed that Spain is one of the important and potential partners of Vietnamin the European Union (EU).
In orderto deepen the Vietnam-Spain strategic partnership, he suggested competentagencies of the two nations work together closely and take full advantage ofthe EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), striving to lift two-way trade to5 billion USD within the next 2-3 years; speed up the progress of development cooperationprojects; and enhance the efficiency of cooperation in the fields ofscience-technology, response to climate change, national defence, and theenvironment.
Chinhalso proposed Spain urge the European Commission (EC) to soon remove its IUU “yellowcard” warning against Vietnamese aquatic products.
PedroSánchez agreed with Chinh’s proposals and expressed hisimpression for Vietnam’s achievements in the reform process and internationalintegration.
Hepledged that Spain, in its capacity as rotating President of the EU in thesecond half of 2023, will prompt EU member states to ratify the EU-VietnamInvestment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).
TheSpanish leader spoke highly of Vietnam’s role and position in the region andthe world, and invited Vietnam to join the International Drought ResilienceAlliance initiated by Spain and Senegal with the participation of more than 30countries.
Hesuggested the two nations continue to step up bilateral and multilateral cooperationin digital transformation and renewable energy.
Chinhtook this occasion to invite Pedro Sánchez to visit Vietnam in 2023, while the Spanishleader invited the Vietnamese PM to visit Spain at a appropriate time. The two leadersaccepted the invitations with pleasure and the visits would be arranged via thediplomatic channel./.
The Vietnam Embassy in Spain has held a ceremony to mark Vietnam’s 74th National Day and the 10th anniversary of the Vietnam – Spain strategic partnership.
A senior official of Spain’s Congress of Deputies expressed his hope for greater strides in cooperation with Vietnam in the time ahead while meeting with Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Do Ba Ty in Madrid on October 1.
Vietnam and Spain are standing a good chance to further develop ties, given that the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) took effect from August and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVPIA) has already ratified by Vietnam and is pending ratification in the EU, Vietnamese Ambassador to Spain Hoang Xuan Hai has said.
A Spanish official affirmed that the European country attaches importance to comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam while addressing a ceremony held in Madrid by the Vietnamese Embassy on October 3.
The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee is scheduled to convene its 48th session on August 11-13, with August 14-15 set as a backup date, according to the NA Office.
Vietnam’s Ambassador to Brazil and Bolivia Bui Van Nghi has led an embassy delegation to attend official events marking the 200th anniversary of Bolivia’s Independence Day.
Party General Secretary To Lam met with members of the Vietnam Innovation Network in Korea (VINK) and Vietnamese experts living and working in the Republic of Korea (RoK) in Seoul on August 10 as part of his state visit to the RoK.
In an interview with Korean media on the occasion of Party General Secretary To Lam’s state visit to the RoK, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed that the visit demonstrates Vietnam’s strong resolve to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the RoK, with the aim of fostering greater political trust, closer strategic coordination, more substantive and comprehensive cooperation, and stronger bonds of friendship between the two countries' people.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, who is also a Politburo member and Secretary of the Government Party Committee, attended the 4th Party Congress of the EVN Party Organisation for the 2025–2030 tenure on August 10, directing EVN to ensure power supply to meet the country’s development demands with double-digit growth set for the coming years.
Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, along with a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam arrived in Seongnam Air Base in Seoul on August 10 afternoon (local time), beginning a state visit to the Republic of Korea from August 10-13.
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.
PM Pham Minh Chinh (second, right) at the meeting with his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón (second, left). (Photo: VNA) 
