Peruvian ambassador Augusto Morelli Salgado wrote to Việt Nam News on Peru's National Day, July 28.

Today, we are celebrating the National Day of the Republic of Peru, the 202-year anniversary of our independence. Peru is an Andean and Amazonian country in South America, multiethnic and multicultural, looking at the Pacific as a fundamental region for our future, where Việt Nam is a friend and also an important partner.

I would like to take this opportunity, on the occasion of the upcoming celebration of the 29th anniversary of the establishment of Peruvian-Vietnamese relations in November this year, to review the main issues on the bilateral agenda.

The relationship between Peru and Việt Nam has been increasing substantially in different matters, among which trade and investment stand out as the most active areas.

Vinicunca, also called Montaña de Siete Colores (Mountain of Seven Colours), is located in the Andes in the Cusco region of Peru. Before 2013, when the ice that had always covered the mountain melted, the colours beneath were completely unknown. Photo courtesy of the embassy

Ten years after the establishment of the Peruvian Embassy in Việt Nam, two-way trade turnover between the two countries has increased by 3,480%, making Việt Nam Peru's largest trading partner in Southeast Asia. Việt Nam exports electronic equipment and footwear to Peru, and Peruvian food products such as quinoa, chia, table grapes and blueberries can be found in major Vietnamese supermarkets.

With entry into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) by both countries, we hope to strengthen bilateral trade by opening both markets to new products such as Peruvian mandarins and avocados, and Vietnamese lychees and mangoes.

Regarding investment, PetroVietnam (PVEP) and Viettel (Bitel in Peru) have been in Peru for many years, investing in energy and telecommunications and looking to expand thanks to their positive results. On one hand, Bitel is currently the operator with the second-best rating by Peruvian customers and the most efficient in terms of value for money. On the other hand, since 2014, PVEP began producing oil commercially, being PVEP's first overseas operation.

Regarding bilateral cooperation, Peru and Việt Nam have signed more than six cooperation agreements in terms of culture, science and technology, anti-drug and fishery, among others, which will open new platforms for both countries to enhance cooperation in the coming years.

The Costa Verde is a circuit of beaches in the Peruvian capital of Lima. The name stems from the rich vegetation in the area. One of the main characteristics of the route is that it is located under the cliffs that surround the city. Photo courtesy of the embassy

In terms of tourism, we have seen an incredible growth in the number of Vietnamese tourists to Peru in recent years. Every year, more and more Vietnamese travel to Peru to discover its beautiful nature, rich history and excellent cuisine, with their favourite destinations being Lima (capital of Peruvian gastronomy), Cusco (Machu Picchu and the Mountain of the Seven Colours) and Puno (Lake Titicaca). Peru is committed to developing and promoting tourism as a means of countering the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to increase tourism, Peru has decided to facilitate entry into its territory, especially for countries such as Việt Nam, by exempting them from the tourist visa requirement.

Next year, APEC will be hosted in Peru. We look forward to Việt Nam's continued support during our Chairmanship since we have the same vision on deepening regional integration, improving business competitiveness and innovation, and focusing on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) so as to contribute to the common economic development of all APEC member economies.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to convey greetings to my compatriots living in Việt Nam. We are a small community, but we feel at home because of the warmth and hospitality of our Vietnamese friends. VNS