This will require “many innovative solutions to build a strategic partnership framework by sectors in the near future,” the minister wrote in an article published on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between both countries.

Thanh Son highlighted that Argentina was one of the first three Latin American countries to establish ties with Vietnam. Both sides have continually strived to create opportunities for cooperation and improve understanding between the two peoples since the opening of their respective embassies in 1995 and 1997.

The minister stressed that in the difficult stage of the war for the defense of independence and national reunification, Vietnam received solidarity, support and strong encouragement from Argentina. Then, in the period 2020-2022, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Argentina supported Vietnam with 500 thousand doses of vaccines, while Vietnam donated 20 thousand sanitary masks.

These actions contributed to consolidating cohesion, exchange and trust between the two peoples and countries, Thahn Son said, and pointed out that bilateral political and diplomatic relations advance on the basis of solidarity, friendship and mutual support, strengthened with the visits of high-level leaders between the two countries.

The statement also notes that Argentina is currently Vietnam’s third largest trading partner in Latin America, while Vietnam has become the fifth largest exporter of products and services to Argentina.

However, the two parties still have great potential to encourage trade and exceed the amount of bilateral commercial exchange estimated at 4.8 billion dollars in 2022, with a view to soon starting negotiations on the Vietnam-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement.

mh/llp/jha/mpm