Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn holds talks with his Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira in Hà Nội on Wednesday. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn on Wednesday expressed his hope that Brazil, as a member of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), will actively promote the early start of negotiations on the free trade agreement between Việt Nam and this bloc.

Sơn was speaking during talks with his Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira in Hà Nội.

Sơn said the Brazilian diplomat’s official visit to Việt Nam from April 9-11 consolidates the Việt Nam-Brazil comprehensive partnership, looking forwards elevating the bilateral relationship as the two countries are celebrating the 35th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations in 2024.

Praising Việt Nam's foreign policy and integration in socio-economics and trade, minister Mauro Vieira affirmed that the Brazilian Government always values and wishes to strengthen relations with Việt Nam.

He said the ongoing visit is one of the specific steps to implement that orientation.

The two ministers discussed their respective countries' economic and social development, as well as foreign policy implementation.

Both praised the bilateral relationship's recent success in politics, diplomacy, economy, trade, multilateral cooperation, security, defence, agriculture, research, technology, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

They recalled Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính's official visit to Brazil in September 2023, which has opened up numerous opportunities for cooperation, citing that Brazil is currently Việt Nam's largest trade partner in Latin America with a turnover of more than US$7.1 billion in 2023.

The two ministers saw plenty of opportunities for bilateral cooperation, particularly in climate change response, green and sustainable development, environmental protection, digital transformation and Halal food production, they said.

They vowed to continue to promote the foundation of good traditional friendship, bolster both bilateral and multilateral cooperation in a more intensive manner, towards establishing a comprehensive partnership for the benefit of the people of the two countries, for peace, stability and development in the two regions.

The two leaders agreed to continue promoting the effectiveness of joint committee meetings, political consultations at the deputy foreign minister level and implement the agreements signed between the two diplomatic academies.

The ministers highly appreciated joint efforts of maintaining close cooperation and mutual support at international organisations and multilateral forums such as the United Nations, G20, G77, WTO, and the East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), South-South cooperation. —VNS