Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, his spouse, was welcomed at the Las Américas International Airport in Santo Domingo on November 19 evening. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

SANTO DOMINGO — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, his spouse, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation arrived at Las Américas International Airport in Santo Domingo on November 19 evening (local time), beginning an official visit to the Dominican Republic.

The visit is made the invitation of President Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona and his spouse. This is the first visit by a key Vietnamese leader to the Dominican Republic, demonstrating Việt Nam's commitment to strengthening and deepening the solidarity, friendship, and cooperation between the two countries, towards the 20th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations.

Chính and his entourage were greeted at the airport by the Dominican Republic’s Minister of Agriculture Limber Cruz, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Jose Julio Gomez, and other officials of both countries.

The Vietnamese Government leader is scheduled to hold talks with President Luis Abinader Corona, and meet with the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the leaders of left-wing political parties in the Dominican Republic.

He will attend the inauguration and wreath-laying ceremony at the Hồ Chí Minh Monument in Santo Domingo, join a Việt Nam - Dominican Republic Business Forum, and engage in other activities.

Over the past two decades, the bilateral ties have blossomed across various sectors, including politics, diplomacy, trade, agriculture, culture and sci-tech. Significant milestones include the appointment of the Dominican Republic's first resident ambassador to Việt Nam in October 2021 and the inauguration of its Embassy in Hà Nội in February 2023. These have made bilateral ties more effective and substantive.

Although the trade partnership currently represents a modest portion of each country’s overall trade volume, it has seen remarkable growth. Two-way trade surged from US$36.5 million in 2013 to nearly US$150.2 million in 2022, with expectations for continued expansion.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Phạm Thanh Bình said the visit underscores Việt Nam's foreign policy of fostering friendship and cooperation with Latin America and the Caribbean for peace and development. It is expected to generate momentum for expanding bilateral economic, trade, and investment ties, especially in promising fields such as agriculture, industry, construction materials, export processing zones, energy-oil and gas, telecommunications, and tourism. — VNA/VNS