Vietnamese President concludes visits to Italy, Vatican

The trip marks a fresh milestone in the 50-year diplomatic ties and the 10-year strategic partnership between the nation and Italy, while affirming the country’s good will in enhancing co-operation with the Vatican.

During his stay in the Southern European country, President Thuong held talks with his Italian counterpart Mattarella, met with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and attended the signing ceremony of co-operation documents between the two nations.

At the talks the leaders expressed their resolve to turn a new page in the strategic partnership, striving to make it stronger and more effective, whilst contributing to the common goals of sustainable development and addressing global challenges on the basis of balanced, mutual benefits, for the sake of their people, and for peace, co-operation, and development in the region and the world.  

Vietnam welcomed the Italian Parliament's ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) which coincided with the President’s visit.

Italy acknowledged Vietnamese efforts in seriously and fully implementing the European Commission (EC)’s recommendations in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The two sides consented to boost close co-ordination for prosperity, as well as for sustainable and inclusive development of both nations, along with the causes of peace, co-operation, and development in the region and the world in line with the basic principles of international law and the UN Charter.

The Presidents hailed the signing of an agreement on extradition and another on the transfer of sentenced persons between both sides.

President Thuong also had meetings with other Italian leaders, including President of the Italian Senate Ignazio La Russa, President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies Lorenzo Fontana, and Mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri, along with paying a visit to Italy’s Tuscany region.  

The Vietnamese President, his spouse, and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation attended a national banquet hosted by the Italian President and his daughter, along with going to a concert marking the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties.

Within the visit, the President also held separate meetings with leaders the  Communist Party, the Democratic Party, and the Communist Refoundation Party, during which they affirmed their wish to enhance co-operation between the Communist Party of Vietnam with the Italian political parties.

While in the Vatican, President Thuong met with Pope Francis and Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Vatican, and visited the Sistine Chapel.

As part of the occasion of the visit by the Vietnamese President to the Vatican on July 27, with the desire to continue advancing bilateral relations, the two sides officially announced that the Vietnamese Government and the Holy See concluded the “Agreement on the Status of the Resident Papal Representative and the Office of the Resident Papal Representative in Vietnam”. 

In a joint press release, both sides expressed their confidence that the Resident Papal Representative will fulfill the role and mandate given in the agreement, provide support to the Vietnamese Catholic community, and serve as a bridge in which to advance relations between Vietnam and the Holy See.

At the meeting held with the Pope, President Thuong stressed that the conclusion of the Agreement on the Status of the Resident Papal Representative and the Office of the Resident Papal Representative in Vietnam is viewed as an important step amid the positive development of bilateral relations and the result of discussions in the spirit of mutual respect, understanding, and co-operation.

The leader said he hopes that Pope Francis will pay closer attention to guiding the Vietnam Catholic Church and the Catholic community in the Southeast Asian nation as it strives to further fulfill the vocation of “accompanying the nation” and to be “good Catholics and good citizens”.

The State visit to Italy and the visit to the Vatican by President Thuong marks the first delegation exchange at the head-of-state level between Vietnam, Italy, and the Vatican over the past seven years.

The success of the two visits have further affirmed the foreign policy of the 13th National Party Congress on independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, co-operation, and development, thereby helping to promote and deepen links between Vietnam, Italy, and the Vatican.