Mongolian President’s Vietnam visit highlighted as a milestone in bilateral ties

In a recent media interview given ahead of the trip from November 1 to November 5, the Vietnamese diplomat recalled the first visit to Mongolia by late President Ho Chi Minh in July, 1955, after the establishment of diplomatic ties on November 17, 1954.

This is along with the visit to Vietnam made by First Secretary of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) Central Committee and Chairman of the Council of Ministers Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal in September, 1959, saying they set a foundation for the friendship between the two peoples.
 
Both nations have maintained the exchange of visits and contacts between high-ranking leaders, significantly contributing to consolidating and enhancing their mutual political trust and understanding.

During recent meetings, Vietnamese and Mongolian leaders expressed their desire to further enhance the bilateral relationship across a variety of fields, for the sake of their peoples, as well as for the causes of peace, stability, and development in the region and the world at large, the diplomat went on to say.

Ambassador Tam outlined that the time-honoured relationship, mutual support, attention of the two countries’ leaders, rich natural resources, and improved production capacity have created a firm foundation and momentum for co-operation in a multitude of fields, ranging from the economy and trade to science-technology, education, culture, sports, and tourism.

Furthermore, localities of the two countries have also set up ties such as Hanoi - Ulaanbaatar, Ho Chi Minh City – Ulaanbaatar, Hoa Binh – Tuv, and Dak Lak – Orkhon, he added.

Underlining the importance of President Khurelsukh’s visit, Ambassador Tam said it will be the fourth state visit to Vietnam made by a Mongolian President since the one taken by then President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj in November, 2013.

High-level co-operation agreements to be signed during the trip will create an important legal basis for the two countries to remove obstacles, whilst also promoting collaboration in the fields where both have strengths such as agriculture, mining, and tourism. This will therefore further contribute to balancing the two-way trade, the diplomat said.

He suggested that both countries seek to expand co-operation in mining, green growth, climate change response, and air pollution reduction, saying that the Vietnamese side should import animal products from Mongolia.

Vietnam has signed around 20 free trade agreements (FTAs), he said, noting that through Vietnam, Mongolian businesses can access ASEAN and other markets.

Trade between the two countries doubled to US$85 million in 2022 from only US$41.4 million in 2017, with the value standing at about US$75 million during the past eight months of this year.

According to the Ambassador, the two countries boast substantial potential and advantages to promote ties in agriculture, tourism, education - training, science, information technology, digital transformation, digital economy, and energy, going on to express his firm belief that the relationship will grow and flourish moving forward.