At the meeting in Hanoi, PM Chinh conveyed greetings on the occasion of Ramadan and thanked UAE leaders for their efforts in promoting bilateral ties.

He said the two countries have established a Comprehensive Partnership and signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), Vietnam’s first and only such agreement in the Middle East.

Vietnam-UAE relations have continued to develop, with the UAE now Vietnam’s largest trading partner in the Middle East and a potential investor. Chinh said the UAE is not only an important economic partner but also a trusted friend sharing common values of peace, cooperation and prosperity.

He expressed concern over developments in the Middle East, including the UAE, and reaffirmed Vietnam’s position that disputes should be resolved through peaceful means, dialogue and negotiation in line with international law and the United Nations Charter. He said Vietnam stands ready to work with the UAE and contribute to efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.

Recalling the “frank, sincere and productive” phone talks with the UAE President, the Government leader asked the ambassador to work closely with the Vietnamese side to expedite key areas agreed during the exchange.

These include supplying oil and gas to Vietnam as needed, ensuring safe and timely delivery; upgrading bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership; and pushing forward priority areas of cooperation.

PM Chinh also called for faster progress in launching negotiations on a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), stronger cooperation in developing international financial centres in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, and concrete implementation of cooperation agreements between businesses and localities of the two countries.

He urged further expansion of trade and investment ties, with more major UAE companies investing in Vietnam, particularly in science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, high technology, infrastructure and logistics. He also called for closer business linkages, stronger links between the two economies, and expanded cooperation in labour, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

The Prime Minister said the agreements reached during the phone talks were important immediate responses to the adverse impact of ongoing conflict, reflecting trust and responsibility in bilateral cooperation.

He asked the ambassador to coordinate closely with relevant agencies of both sides and assigned Vietnamese ministries to carry out the agreed areas, while expressing confidence that peace and stability would be restored in the Middle East.

For his part, Ambassador Almatrooshi conveyed greetings from the UAE President and Vice President, and welcomed the outcomes of the recent phone talks, which he said reflect mutual trust.

He said bilateral trade reached nearly US$6.546 billion in 2025, while investment flows and business cooperation from the UAE to Vietnam have seen positive development.

In February 2026, UAE firms G42 and ADQ announced a data centre project in Ho Chi Minh City in cooperation with FPT, VinaCapital and Viet Thai, with initial investment of US$1 billion. Vietnamese companies including VinFast, FPT and Viettel have established offices in the UAE.

The ambassador expressed support for the PM’s views on regional developments and said the UAE would continue supplying oil to Vietnam and further boost bilateral relations.

He added that the UAE would encourage investment in international financial centres in Vietnam, speed up key projects in high technology, infrastructure and logistics, and accelerate negotiations on a Vietnam-GCC free trade agreement, with a goal of reaching US$10 billion in bilateral trade as agreed by PM Chinh and the UAE President.

Vietnamese PM, UAE President discuss regional situation, promote bilateral ties

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a telephone conversation with President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan on March 9 evening to discuss the regional situation and promote bilateral relations.