Acting Minister of Industry and Trade Lê Mạnh Hùng (left) meets with First Vice President of the Hellenic Parliament Ioannis Plakiotakis in Hà Nội on Tuesday. — Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam and Greece have agreed to promote the opening of agricultural markets and enhance cooperation in maritime transport and logistics, aiming to further tap the potential of bilateral trade ties.

The agreement was reached during a meeting between Acting Minister of Industry and Trade Lê Mạnh Hùng and First Vice President of the Hellenic Parliament Ioannis Plakiotakis in Hà Nội on Tuesday, said the Ministry of Industry and Trade on Wednesday.

At the meeting, Hùng expressed his confidence that trade relations between the two countries will continue to expand in the coming time. He noted that Greece, as a member of the EU, could serve as a bridge to further strengthen cooperation between Việt Nam and the EU.

For his part, Plakiotakis said Greece was among the first EU member states to ratify the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), and stressed that bilateral cooperation still holds ample room for growth thanks to opportunities generated by the deal.

Since the EVFTA took effect in 2020, two-way trade has maintained positive growth. The figure reached nearly US$587.32 million, up 16.42 per cent year-on-year. Việt Nam’s exports to Greece amounted to $465.54 million, an increase of 18.75 per cent, while imports rose 8.85 per cent to $121.78 million.

Bilateral trade turnover hit $52.7 million in January alone, up 27.4 per cent year-on-year, with exports estimated at $45.3 million, up 25.5 per cent, and imports at $7.4 million, up 40.3 per cent.

Plakiotakis affirmed that Greece considered Việt Nam an important economic partner in Southeast Asia, particularly given its impressive growth rate. He highlighted strong potential for cooperation in transport, logistics and agricultural exports.

Currently, Greece leads the world in maritime transport, operating more than 4,500 commercial vessels, accounting for about 20 per cent of the global fleet. The country also has extensive experience in shipbuilding and repair and related logistics services.

Greek enterprises are ready to share expertise in maritime transport, shipbuilding and seafarer training with Việt Nam, Plakiotakis said, adding that Greece also wishes to promote greater market access for agricultural and food products in which both sides have strengths.

Hung welcomed the proposal, expressing his hope that Greece could support technology transfer in shipbuilding and smart port operations to enhance the competitiveness of Việt Nam's maritime sector. He also called on Greece to voice support within the EU for the early removal of the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning on Vietnamese seafood.

The two sides agreed to step up all-level delegation exchanges to further advance bilateral trade and economic cooperation in the time ahead. — VNS