Vietnamese President warmly welcomed in Santiago de Chile on official visit
VOV.VN - Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font hosted a welcoming ceremony at the Constitution Square in capital Santiago on November 11 for visiting Vietnamese President Luong Cuong.
The head of the Presidential Guard of Chile welcomed Cuong at the drop-off point and respectfully invited him to step onto the red carpet to review the guard of honour.
Next, Cuong was invited to proceed to the main entrance of La Moneda Palace, where Font was waiting to greet him. The two leaders shook hands and faced the guard of honour as the military band played the national anthems of Vietnam and Chile.
After the ceremony, President Gabriel Boric Font and President Luong Cuong entered the main hall of La Moneda Palace and held talks on measures to strengthen relations between Vietnam and Chile.
This visit marks the first by a Vietnamese President in 15 years that coincides with the 55th anniversary of the historic meeting between President Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam and President Salvador Allende of Chile - a foundational event that led Chile to become the first South American country to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam.
Over the years, despite the geographical distance, diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Chile have continued to develop positively. Both countries have exchanged numerous visits at various levels and established a Comprehensive Partnership in May 2007 during the Chile visit by General Secretary Nong Duc Manh.
Trade cooperation is a major pillar in bilateral relations. Over the past decade, two-way trade has quadrupled, reaching US$1.5 billion in 2023. Today, Chile is one of Vietnam’s key partners in the region and was the first Latin American country to sign a free trade agreement with Vietnam.
Both Vietnam and Chile are member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which provides a diverse and abundant scope for cooperation.
Based on the solid foundation of the Comprehensive Partnership between Vietnam and Chile, which has continually been strengthened and expanded across multiple fields, Cuong’s visit to Chile marks an important milestone, creating new momentum to deepen and enhance bilateral relations.
