Welcome ceremony held for Vietnamese State President in Santiago
Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font hosted a welcome ceremony in Santiago on November 11 for Vietnamese State President Luong Cuong, who is on an official visit to the South American country.
Vietnamese President Luong Cuong (right) and his Chilean counterpart Gabriel Boric Font inspect the guard of honour in Santiago on November 11. (Photo: VNA)
Santiago (VNA) – Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font hosted a welcome ceremony in Santiago on November 11 for Vietnamese State President Luong Cuong, who is on an official visit to the South American country.
Following the ceremony, the leaders held talks, where they compared notes on measures to deepen and raise the efficiency of the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.
💃 Earlier, Cuong and his entourage laid a wreath at the monument dedicated to national hero Bernardo O'Higgins, who led Chile's fight for independence from colonial rule in the early 19th century.
This is the first visit to Chile by a Vietnamese State President in 15 years, coinciding with the 55th anniversary of the historic meeting between President Ho Chi Minh and President Salvador Allende, which laid the foundation for Chile to become the first country in South America to establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam.
Over the years, despite their geographical distance, diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Chile have been developing fruitfully. Political-diplomatic relations between the two countries have been increasingly close and reliable, demonstrated through visits and meetings between senior leaders and officials of ministries, sectors and localities.
Trade cooperation remains a highlight of the bilateral relations. Over the past decade, two-way trade has quadrupled, reaching 1.5 billion USD in 2023. Chile is now one of Vietnam’s key partners in the region and the first Latin American country to sign a Free Trade Agreement with Vietnam in 2014. As both are members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, ample room remains for their cooperation.
🎉 The visit also aims to continue implementing the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of foreign relations, proactive, positive, comprehensive and extensive international integration and raising the level of multilateral foreign affairs in the spirit of the 13th National Party Congress, contributing to promoting peace, cooperation, economic linkage and regional connectivity. It also demonstrates Vietnam's consistent policy of always treasuring and wishing to consolidate and promote the Vietnam-Chile relations./.
State President Luong Cuong received President of the Socialist Party of Chile Paulina Vodanovic in Santiago on November 10 (local time) during his ongoing official visit to Chile.
State President Luong Cuong had a meeting with President of the Communist Party of Chile Lautaro Carmona in Santiago on November 10 (local time) as part of his ongoing official visit to Chile.
State President Luong Cuong received in Santiago on November 10 (local time) a delegation from the Chile-Vietnam Cultural Institute led by President Patricia Abarzua as part of his official visit to Chile.
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.
