Greek President arrives in Hanoi for Vietnam visit
VOV.VN - Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou arrived in Hanoi on May 15, beginning an official visit to Vietnam from 15 to 19 at the invitation of her Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
During her stay, President Sakellaropoulou is scheduled to hold talks with President Phuc, and meet with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.
She will also witness the signing of several cooperation documents between Vietnam and Greece, meet with the press, and visit several economic and cultural establishments in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
The visit is expected to further strengthen political trust and deepen multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries, from politics-diplomacy to economy, culture, tourism among others.
Bilateral relations in focus
Vietnam and Greece established diplomatic relations on April 15, 1975. The two countries have many things in common, including a long history, age-old culture, and an important geopolitical position.
Vietnam attaches importance to strengthening cooperation relations with member states of the European Union, including Greece. It desires to increase cooperation with Greece especially in the fields where Greece has strengths such as shipping, shipbuilding, tourism, and conservation.
Bilateral trade between the two countries has grown rapidly, especially after the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) took effect in August 2020. Statistics show two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and Greece reached US$447 million last year, up 33% compared to 2020.
Vietnam’s key export items to Greece include footwear, textiles, seafood and wooden furniture.
With regard to investment, Greece currently has five investment projects in Vietnam capitalized at US$110,000, focusing on wholesale and retail, car and motorbike repair, science - technology and communication.
Greece is one of the EU countries that ratified the Vietnam-European Union Investment Agreement (EVIPA) at the earliest. It also supports Vietnam’s candidacy for the membership of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term.
The two countries have signed an agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic passport holders and are negotiating to sign agreements on double tax avoidance and maritime cooperation.