Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen and his wife hosted the welcome ceremony for Vietnamese President Võ Văn Thưởng and his wife in Vienna on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

VIENNA — Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen chaired an official welcome ceremony for President Võ Văn Thưởng of Việt Nam at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna on Monday morning.

After the welcome ceremony, President Thưởng and his Austrian counterpart held talks.

Following the talks, the two Presidents are scheduled to hold a joint press conference and witness the signing of cooperative documents between the two countries.

Austria is one of the first European countries to establish diplomatic relations with Việt Nam. The relations between the two countries are developing soundly in various aspects. The two countries have maintained contact and exchange of all-level delegations.

Việt Nam is the biggest trade partner of Austria in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Regarding bilateral relations, Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria Nguyễn Trung Kiên said that the relationship between Việt Nam and Austria is one of the important relations in Việt Nam's ties with Europe. In 1972, Austria was one of the first European nations to set up diplomatic relations with Việt Nam. Since then, the two countries have deepened their cooperation in all fields, from politics to economy, trade, investment, culture and education.

Austria is always among Việt Nam's top 10 trading partners in the EU, with two-way trade reaching nearly US$4 billion before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

Austrian Ambassador to Việt Nam Hans-Peter Glanzer said visits at a high political level are so important for fostering bilateral relations that have been resumed after the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said he sees great potential for further deepening the friendly relations, for example, in economic fields and education. — VNS