On the occasion of the National Day of Romania, H.E.Ms. Romila Cristina, Ambassador of Romania to Việt Nam, wrote to Việt Nam News.

This year Romania celebrates 104 years since the completion of its national unity and 72 years of friendship between Romania and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. 2022 is a year with special significance for our country, especially for Romanian Diplomacy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Thus, in 2022, we celebrated 160 years since the formation of the first Government and Legislative Assembly of United Romania on January 24, 1862, marking the transition to the modern state.

Also, this year Romania celebrated 15 years since its accession to the European Union, an essential milestone in the country's history. The last 15 years generated profound economic and social changes within Romanian society based on European principles and standards.

Romania finds itself in a strengthened political and economic position, enjoying one of the highest annual economic growth rate within the European Union. Romania is an active member of the international community, acting in full solidarity with its partners, based on the principles of international law and promoting international peace and security.

Ambassador Romila Cristina presented the Credential Letter to President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on June 16, 2021. Photos courtesy of the embassy

The COVID-19 pandemic and the current security crisis in the Black Sea region, which affects European and Euro-Atlantic security, have re-confirmed the important role of Romania in the region and the need for increased solidarity.

Romania and Việt Nam enjoy an excellent dynamic of political-diplomatic exchanges, marked during recent years by frequent high-level contacts. The visit of the Prime Minister of Romania to Hà Nội in 2016, the official visit to Bucharest of the Prime Minister of Việt Nam, Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, in April 2019, and phone conversations between the President of Romania and his Vietnamese counterpart in July 2021, set the priorities of the bilateral relationship in a pragmatic way with a view to deepening further the traditional friendship between Romania and Việt Nam.

Bilateral political dialogue continued both at the level of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and their deputies. Thus, in March 2022, the two Ministers of Foreign Affairs held a phone call highlighting the Romanian authorities’ efforts and positive results in supporting, in a quick and safe manner, the evacuation of over 1,000 Vietnamese citizens from Ukraine.

Musicians from Bucharest's Symphony Orchestra perform in the CF6 Symphony Concert in Hà Nội on November 15, 2022.

In the last six years, the growing importance of economic and trade ties between the two countries has been emphasised at all levels of the bilateral political dialogue. The signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) in June 2019, one of the major achievements of Romania's Presidency of the EU Council and of the EU's trade policy, not only increased the economic cooperation between EU Member States and Việt Nam but positively impacted trade relations between Romania and Việt Nam. Romania is one of the first EU Member States which ratified the IPA.

As part of the economic bilateral cooperation agenda, in October this year, a multisectoral economic mission, composed of representatives of 14 Romanian companies, Chambers of Commerce and Associations of producers, took place in Hà Nội and Hồ Chí Minh, with the aim to identify new venues of mutually beneficial cooperation.

Việt Nam's success in combating the COVID-19 pandemic provided the conditions for the country’s reopening and the resumption of bilateral contacts, which also created new opportunities in the fields of education and culture. Throughout the 72 years of bilateral history, Romania attached high priority to cooperation with Việt Nam in the field of education. The governmental Program for bilateral cooperation in the field of education and training for the period 2022-2026, signed this year, establishes the educational exchanges between the two countries.

The Romanian academic environment continues to be an attractive study option for young Vietnamese. Thus, 23 Romanian universities participated in the international educational fair Talk Global Study (October 28-29 in Hồ Chí Minh and November 3 in Hà Nội).

The Government of Romania also supports educational exchanges between the two countries, including through a diverse offer of scholarships, which set the base for a renewed groundwork of people-to-people contacts between Romania and Việt Nam.

In the field of bilateral cultural cooperation, a concert of the Bucharest Symphony Orchestra, with more than 50 Romanian musicians, took place on November 15 at the Opera House in Hà Nội, the first event of its kind in the history of bilateral relations. The concert was organised by cellist Đinh Hoài Xuân, Honorary Representative promoting Romanian music in Việt Nam, with the support of the Embassy of Romania in Việt Nam. We are glad that this event took place in the context of the anniversary of 72 years of bilateral relations.

There have been 72 years since the beginning of our traditional bilateral relations and we are looking forward to working together with our Vietnamese friends to give new momentum to the friendship between our two countries. Romania wishes Việt Nam to be its privileged partner in this part of the world.

We look forward with confidence! VNS