PM receives Brazilian Party leader, visits friendship association, and Vietnamese embassy

The Vietnamese Government chief applauded the Communist Party of Brazil’s various achievements and positive role in the country’s politics, affirming that the Vietnamese Party, Government, and people always bear in mind and respect the Brazilian people, the Communist Party of Brazil, left-wing forces, and peace lovers' sentiments and valuable support. This can be seen though assistance to the Vietnamese people during their past struggle for national liberation as well as the current cause of national construction and protection.

Amidst complicated and unpredictable developments in the world, the nation advocates promoting global solidarity as well as heightening multilateralism, including boosting collaboration with the Communist Party of Brazil, he said. The PM went on to express hope that Luciana Santos, in her roles as the president of the Communist Party of Brazil and Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, will continue to support and promote co-operation with the Vietnamese side.

At the event, PM Chinh also informed the guests of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)’s policies and guidelines adopted at the 13th National Party Congress, as well as measures aimed at developing the nation into a developing country with an upper middle-income by 2030, as well as a developed and high-income nation by 2045.

The country therefore persistently pursues its external policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, co-operation, and development, diversification and multilateralisation, whilst being proactive in international integration in a comprehensive, practical, and effective fashion, he affirmed. He added that the nation is a reliable partner and is an active and responsible member of the international community, implementing the a “Four Nos” defence policy.

In response, Santos spoke highly of PM Chinh’s official visit, which is the first made by a senior leader of the two countries after 15 years, and takes place amid both countries looking towards the 35th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations which began on May 8, 1989.

She affirmed that the revolutionary struggle of the CPV and the Vietnamese people, which was flexible and resilient like “Vietnamese bamboos”, had inspired the Communist Party of Brazil as well as progressive and peace-loving forces in Brazil and throughout Latin America.

Santos applauded the comprehensive Vietnamese achievements in socio-economic development, defence, security, and international integration under the leadership of the CPV headed by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

PM Chinh and Santos also discussed a host of measures which seek to strengthen the sound friendship and co-operative relations between the two countries across various fields, promote people-to-people exchanges, and maintain and elevate collaboration between the two Parties, including their co-ordination at forums of major political parties such as the Sao Paolo Forum.

Receiving Pedro de Olivera, general secretary of the Brazil – Vietnam Friendship Association, and its members on the same day, PM Chinh emphasised the continuous development of mutual relations over the past 34 years based on the concerted efforts of both sides and their people, in which the Brazil – Vietnam Friendship Association has played an important role.

As there is plenty of room for both nations to boost collaboration, PM Chinh said he and Brazilian President Lula da Silva will discuss steps which aim to bolster co-operation across a variety of fields in their upcoming talks. In addition, the PM requested that the friendship association continue promoting delegation exchanges, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural and sporting exchanges, whilst also devising more initiatives to bolster the ties between the two nations.

He also expressed his wish that the association will back both sides in the negotiations and signing of bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements, an investment protection agreement, and a double taxation avoidance agreement, among others. These aim to bolster economic co-operation will help to take the bilateral relations to new heights for peace, co-operation, friendship, and development in the region and the world, he said.

Pedro de Olivera and members of the Brazil – Vietnam Friendship Association said the association and the Vietnam – Brazil Friendship Association have worked together to make practical contributions to joint ties, affirming that they will step up efforts to promote relations in a more practical and effective fashion, including co-operation in the fields of trade-investment, agriculture, and food processing.

As part of the occasion, PM Chinh presented a painting of Vietnamese bamboos, which is a symbol of the country and its foreign policy as stated by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to Pedro de Olivera. Meanwhile, the latter presented the book “President Ho Chi Minh – life and career of the national liberation leader” to the Vietnamese PM.

As part of his official visit, PM Chinh also met with officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Brazil.

Through the embassy’s great contributions, Brazilian friends have a good understanding of the nation as well as the country’s development process and “bamboo” diplomacy, he said, asking the embassy to make greater efforts to enhance the nation’s economic, trade, and investment ties with the South American country – a power in Latin America.

Both nations boast huge potential for further co-operation, he said, requesting the embassy work to speed up the negotiations and the signing of bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements. This is along with an investment protection agreement, and a double taxation avoidance agreement, among others, to bolster economic ties as the deals will create legal frameworks to carry out bilateral collaboration.

The embassy was also ordered to channel focus on people-to-people exchanges and cultural, sporting, and education exchanges, while co-ordinating alongside the Brazilian side at the multilateral forums to support each other, especially supporting ASEAN’s central role in the East Sea issues.

Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Thi Kim Hoa pledged to step up efforts to develop bilateral ties whilst working to raise two-way trade revenue to US$10 billion by 2025, climbing further to between US$15 billion and 20 billion by 2030.