VN, Argentina promote bilateral strategic partnership

This is the first visit to Viet Nam since Mr. Mauricio Macri was elected as the Argentine President. The visit is regarded as a landmark in the bilateral relationship as the two sides celebrated the 45^th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2018. 

VN-Argentina relations consolidated, expanded 

Recent high-ranking visits made by the two nations’ senior leaders included Argentine President Cristina Fernandez’s visit to Viet Nam in January 2013, PM Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to Argentina in April 2010 and bilateral meetings between Argentine President Mauricio Macri and State President Tran Dai Quang in Beijing, China in May 2017 and between PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Argentine President Mauricio Macri in Canada in June 2018. 

The two sides have inked a number of cooperative agreements in fields of encouragement and protection of investment, economic-trade cooperation, industry and agriculture, political consultancy between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs, science-technology, inspection, sports, culture-education, nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and energy. 

Viet Nam and Argentina have supported each other and enhanced effective cooperation at multi-lateral forums such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation.

Heading to bilateral trade value of US$5 billion

The two-way trade turnover increases 10 times from US$316 million in 2007 to more than US$3 billion in 2017

The two-way trade turnover increased 10 times from US$316 million in 2007 to more than US$3 billion in 2017. In 2018, the figure reached US$2.9 billion, the highest among ASEAN nations. 

Argentina has become the second largest trade partner of Viet Nam in Latin America and Viet Nam is the fifth largest importer of Argentina in the world. 

The two nations have made efforts to raise the bilateral trade value to US$5 billion in the time ahead. 

Argentina has invested in four projects in Viet Nam, ranking 106th among 129 nations and territories investing in the Southeast Asian nation. 

Each year, Viet Nam welcomes around 10,000 Argentine visitors. On October 24, 2018, Viet Nam tourism and culture week was held in Argentina on the occasion of the 45^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties. 

Mr. Mauricio Macri’s State visit to Viet Nam is a proof to the importance of Viet Nam in Argentina’s diplomatic policy in Asia in general and Southeast Asia in particular, especially after Argentina inked the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) in August, 2018. 

By Thuy Dung