Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil Bùi Văn Nghị. — Photo from the embassy

BUENOS AIRES — Over the past 35 years, the relationship between Việt Nam and Brazil has been developing positively in all fields, becoming more substantive and effective with closer political ties and trust, and expanded economic and trade cooperation, stated Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil Bùi Văn Nghị.

In an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the Việt Nam-Brazil diplomatic relations and the 17-year bilateral comprehensive partnership, the diplomat said this coincides with the first year of the implementation of the joint statement that leaders of the two countries released during Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính’s visit to Brazil in September 2023, which was the first by a high-ranking leaders of Việt Nam to the Latin American country in 16 years.

Since September 2023, the Brazilian side conducted two ministerial-level visits to Việt Nam. During Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Luciana Santos’ visit to Việt Nam in November 2023, the two sides highlighted the possibility of strengthening cooperation in promising areas such as artificial intelligence, digital transformation, semiconductor, and biotechnology, he said.

During his visit in April, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira conveyed the invitation from President Lula da Silva to Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính to attend the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro and discuss measures to promote all-round cooperation between the two countries.

Along with the sound political-diplomatic relations, bilateral economic and trade partnership has been expanding, becoming a foundation for the long-term ties between the two countries.

Last year, two-way trade exceeded US$7.11 billion, the ambassador noted, adding that the figure reached $2.2 billion in the first three months of this year, with Việt Nam's exports up 5.5 per cent year on year to $676 million.

Businesses of the two sides have shown great interest in bolstering their partnership, especially in agriculture, he said.

Brazil is currently Việt Nam's largest trading partner in Latin America and second in the Americas, after the US. Meanwhile, Việt Nam is Brazil's leading partner among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries.

Ambassador Nghị affirmed that bilateral collaboration in other fields such as science - technology and culture, especially sports, tourism and people-to-people exchanges, has also been promoted. At the meeting between the Vietnamese Embassy and the Rio de Janeiro city government in March, the Brazilian side said that the country is ready to support Việt Nam's youth, women's football teams, and futsal teams to develop.

Commenting on the future prospects of the Việt Nam-Brazil relationship, the diplomat said that the official visit by PM Chính's to Brazil in September 2023 demonstrated Việt Nam's wish to strengthen bilateral political trust and foster collaboration in all fields, from politics, diplomacy, economy, trade, investment, culture, education, and tourism.

Việt Nam and Brazil are working together to promote the efficiency of the Joint Ministerial Committee on Agriculture and Science, Technology and Political Consultation between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs, while expanding dialogue and cooperation among ministries, sectors and businesses, and completing the legal framework to foster cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture as well as people-to-people exchanges and cooperation among friendship organisations and localities.

He said he hopes this year, the two sides will continue increasing delegation exchanges at high and all levels. Vietnam hopes to welcome Brazilian President Lula da Silva this year. The ambassador expects the activities will receive active response from businesses of the two sides in the fields of science-technology, agriculture, agricultural product processing, sports, tourism, health care and education.

The ambassador expressed his hope that in the coming time, Việt Nam and Brazil will promote sports, cultural and artistic exchanges, and people-to-people exchanges.

At multilateral forums, in the future, Việt Nam and Brazil should further deepen their coordination on the foundation of common values such as support to an international system based on multilateralism, rule of law, peaceful settlement of disputes, with the United Nations (UN) as the centre for global governance, stability, and prosperity, he said.

Vietnam needs to strengthen cooperative relations with Brazil in particular and countries in the region in general, especially those in the South American Common Market (MERCOSUR), which is helpful to negotiations on a free trade agreement between Việt Nam and this bloc. Brazil is committed to expanding relations with ASEAN and its member states, and exploring new opportunities for cooperation in energy transition, science, technology, innovation, and industrial and agricultural policy, while Việt Nam plays a key role in this agenda as an important partner of Brazil in Southeast Asia, he said.

The diplomat also highlighted many activities to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Việt Nam-Brazil diplomatic relations and the 17-year bilateral comprehensive partnership, including a friendship meeting held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Brazil in March. The Vietnamese Embassy in Brazil and the Brazilian Embassy in Việt Nam plan to organise a week of film, painting and photo exhibition in the two countries this year.

The Brazilian side has proposed activities to commemorate President Hồ Chí Minh in Rio de Janeiro, including the naming of a street after Việt Nam, and a painting contest on the Vietnamese leader’s journey in Rio de Janeiro, said the diplomat. — VNS