Vietnamese PM Phạm Minh Chính's official visit grabs the headlines of the Kuwaiti media. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Major Kuwaiti media outlets, including kuwaittimes.com, kuna.net.kw and timeskuwait.com, on Monday highlighted the official visit by Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and the Vietnamese delegation from November 16 to 18, noting a schedule of important high-level engagements.

They underscored that this is the first visit by a Vietnamese leader to Kuwait in 16 years. Taking place as the two countries prepare to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties in January 2026, the visit reflects the shared aspiration to advance bilateral relations to a new strategic height. A highlight was PM Chính’s address at the Saud N. Al-Sabah Kuwait Diplomatic Institute, in which he presented Việt Nam’s foreign policy and strategic vision for strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Kuwaittimes.com noted that Việt Nam is emerging as a global economic and innovation hub. It currently ranks 32nd in the world in GDP and is among the top 20 countries in both trade and foreign direct investment. With foreign trade exceeding US$800 billion and cumulative FDI surpassing $500 billion, Việt Nam is deeply integrating into regional and global value chains. The country has joined 17 free trade agreements and more than 500 other trade frameworks. Its growth prospects remain positive, with GDP forecast to increase by over 8 per cent in 2025 and more than 10 per cent in 2026.

In external relations, Việt Nam has established diplomatic ties with 194 countries, including 38 comprehensive or strategic partners, covering all major global powers. Multilaterally, Việt Nam actively participates in more than 70 international political, economic, and cultural organisations, with an expanding role in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations.

Reports also underlined the progress in Kuwait – Việt Nam cooperation, particularly in trade and investment. Bilateral trade reached a record $7.3 billion in 2024, the highest between Việt Nam and any Middle Eastern country. Việt Nam’s exports to Kuwait have diversified to include agricultural and aquatic products, fresh fruit, wood products, machinery, equipment, and electronics. Kuwait is the Middle Eastern country with the largest investment portfolio in Việt Nam, with the Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Complex being a flagship project to which Kuwait contributes about $3.5 billion.

Beyond economic links, the two sides maintain cooperation across various fields. The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development has supported 15 infrastructure projects worth $182 million in Việt Nam. Local-level partnerships, including those between HCM City and Ahmadi province, and between Thanh Hoá and Farwaniya, have helped enhance cultural exchanges, tourism cooperation, and people-to-people connections.

Kuwaiti media affirmed that PM Chính’s visit is expected to further consolidate the long-standing friendship between the two countries and herald a new phase of cooperation as they look toward the next 50 years of partnership. — VNA/VNS