Prime Minister receives Brazilian foreign minister
Vietnam and Brazil boast great potential to boost their economic and trade ties, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh told visiting Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mauro Vieira in Hanoi on April 10.
The PM asked the FM to convey regards and invitation to visit Vietnam from Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to President of the Workers' Party of Brazil and Brazilian President Lula da Silva.
On this occasion, Vieira handed over an invitation letter from President Lula da Silva to PM Chinh to attend the G20 Summit slated for this November in Brazil. The host accepted the invitation with pleasure.
Recalling his visit to Brazil in September 2023, Chinh said he was impressed by its land and people, and spoke highly of policies adopted by the Brazilian government to consolidate and advance the country’s economic and political position, as well as its role in the region and the world at large.
The PM expressed his belief that Vieira’s visit will contribute to enhancing the Vietnam-Brazil comprehensive partnership, and it will be a step forward to materialise agreements reached by the two countries’ high-ranking leaders.
The leader emphasised that Brazil remains Vietnam’s biggest trade partner in Latin America, and the second in America, with two-way trade continuously growing over the past years to stand at US$7.11 billion in 2023.
He suggested the Brazilian government soon recognise Vietnam’s economic mechanism and Brazil further coordinate with other members of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) to push ahead with the launch of negotiations for a free trade agreement between Vietnam and Mercosur, thus contributing to raising the Vietnam-Brazil trade and advancing the bilateral relationship to a new level.
For his part, Vieira affirmed the importance Brazil attaches to Vietnam’s role and position in the region, and called for its coordination in preparations for the G20 Summit.
He also suggested the two sides step up measures to boost the bilateral ties, effectively maintain the political consultation at the deputy foreign minister level and resume the intergovernmental committee mechanism between the two countries in order to review the bilateral cooperation and propose directions to expand and deepen the Vietnam-Brazil comprehensive partnership.
The minister informed the PM about his talks with Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, during which the two sides agreed on a cooperation programme for the time ahead.
