President of Argentina, Javier Milei (centre), receives credentials from Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina Ngô Minh Nguyệt in the presence of Argentina's Foreign Minister, Diana Mondino on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo

BUENOS AIRES — Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina Ngô Minh Nguyệt on Wednesday presented her credentials to Argentinean President Javier Milei, during which the diplomat expressed her hope for close cooperation with the Argentinean Government to further expand and deepen Việt Nam-Argentina ties in all fields.

Nguyệt conveyed the regards from General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Nguyễn Phú Trọng, Acting President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân and Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính to President Milei.

She also conveyed Prime Minister Chính's thanks to President Milei for his invitation to visit Argentina in 2024.

Việt Nam and Argentina set up their diplomatic relations on October 25, 1973 and comprehensive partnership in 2010.

Over the past half century, relations between the two countries have continuously been developing and strengthened in all fields, especially in politics, economy, trade and culture, and via all channels of Party, government people diplomacy.

The two sides have maintained the exchange of high-level delegations as well as exchanges among ministries, sectors and localities, while effectively implementing the political consultation mechanism between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the Inter-Governmental Committee.

Economic, trade and investment cooperation has become the foundation for long-term relations between the two countries.

In the 2004-23 period, two-way trade increased by nearly 17-fold to US$3.45 billion in 2023.

Việt Nam is currently Argentina's sixth largest trading partner and fifth biggest export market, while Argentina is Việt Nam's third largest trading partner in Latin America.

Argentina has supported Việt Nam during negotiations for a free trade agreement with the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) which comprises Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.

Later the same day, Ambassador Ngô Minh Nguyệt laid a wreath at the statue of Argentinean Hero San Martin in Buenos Aires. — VNS