Vietnamese State President delivers policy speech at University of Chile

Established in 1842, the university is the largest and oldest educational institution in the country and also one of the oldest in the region. It has trained a large number of prominent scientific and cultural figures as well as international influencers, including many Presidents of Chile such as Gabriel Boric who is now in office.

In his remarks, President Cuong mentioned some issues that form the foundation of the Vietnam - Chile relations, the development path and foreign policy of Vietnam, as well as the vision and orientation for the two countries’ traditional friendship and comprehensive partnership in the new era.

Special similarities

Despite the half-of-the-earth distance, he said, Vietnam and Chile always have special bonds which come from their many rare similarities in terms of history, culture, geography, economic development model, and vision about the world today.

He noted that both are developing countries and members of the Non-Aligned Movement, have long-standing and glorious histories of struggles for national independence, and also show strong determination and efforts in national development.

The Vietnamese people never forget the solidarity from the Chilean people during the years full of hardships of the fight for national independence, with the most impressive being young Chileans’ protests against the war in Vietnam, President Cuong said.

The President added in terms of economy, both countries are export-driven economies and attach importance to international integration to promote their national development. This could be seen in the fact that they are members of international organisations and big multilateral and inter-regional free trade agreements such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and the Forum for East Asia - Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC).

He affirmed that with an open and inclusive vision as well as support for trade liberalisation, the two sides share the common perception on building and consolidating a multipolar, equitable, and international law-based world order in which countries in the Global South hold an increasingly important role and voice.

The two countries also made commitments and are taking strong measures to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Both are aware of the importance of green and sustainable development, energy transition, digital transformation, along with the proper management of strategic minerals.

Lauding the outstanding socio-economic development achievements of Chile, the first in Latin America and one of the few developing countries that have escaped the “middle-income trap”, the Vietnamese leader perceived that Chile is a typical example of optimising globalisation and trade liberalisation in national development.

Chile is increasingly affirming its stature and role in the region and the world, Cuong went on, expressing Vietnam’s wish to continue learning from the country's precious economic development experiences so that it can become a developed nation by 2045.

Vietnam’s development path and foreign policy

Mentioning Vietnam's development path, the State President said nearly 80 years after its founding and almost 40 years of reform, Vietnam is standing at a historic turning point of the new era – the era of the nation’s rise.

From a poor, backward, heavily war-torn country once blockaded and subject to severe embargoes, Vietnam has risen to reap significant achievements, earning the status of a middle-income developing country that is intensively and extensively integrating into the world, he said, adding its economy has grown 95 folds, now ranking 35th among the world's 40 largest economies and the top 20 in terms of foreign investment attraction and trade scale.

With regard to foreign relations, Vietnam has established diplomatic ties with 194 countries with 32 strategic partnerships and comprehensive partnerships, including with all the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council as well as the G7 economies.

The leader went on to say that Vietnam now has trade relations with over 220 countries and territories, with trade turnover reaching US$683 billion in 2023 and expected to hit a record of nearly US$ 800 billion this year. With 17 free trade agreements (FTAs) and nearly US$450 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) invested in 41,000 projects from over 143 countries and territories, Vietnam has become a crucial link in the Asia-Pacific and global supply chains.

The State President highlighted Vietnam as a bright spot in the implementation of the UN Millennium Development Goals and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Vietnam has considered climate change response as a top priority and put in place specific policies to ensure that all citizens benefit from the achievements of national development and innovation. Although its per capita income remains at the lower-middle level, its Human Development Index (HDI) has consistently ranked high for years.

President Cuong stressed that the country persistently pursues the goal of national independence linked to socialism under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, considering this the lodestar in national defence and development. Vietnam’s goal is to become a developing country with modern industry and upper-middle income by 2030 and become a developed nation with high income by 2045, he said.

The leader also noted that Vietnam will continue its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, development, multilateralisation and diversification of relations; being a friend, a reliable partner, and an active and responsible member of the international community; and proactive, intensive, extensive and comprehensive international integration. Vietnam shares other countries’ views on the importance of ensuring a peaceful and stable environment in all regions, and wishes to contribute more to the world politics, the global economy, and mankind's civilisation, the leader stated.

He also underlined Vietnam’s "four Nos" defence policy - not partaking in military alliances, not siding with one country to act against another, not allowing foreign countries to set military bases or use Vietnam’s territory to counter a third country; not using force or threatening to use force in international relations. Vietnam consistently advocates for peaceful settlement of disputes based on the UN Charter and international law, and opposing unilateral actions, coercive politics, and the use or threat to use force in international relations.

Amid intensifying strategic competition among major powers, the State President emphasised the increasingly important role of Global South countries as well as South-South cooperation. Vietnam actively participates and contributes constructively to joint efforts, fulfilling key roles in various multilateral mechanisms and engaging in UN peacekeeping operations and international search and rescue operations, he remarked.

Vision and orientations for Vietnam - Chile relations

Reviewing the history of the Vietnam-Chile friendship ties over the past 50 years, the State President said that at his talks and meetings with Chilean leaders, the two sides agreed on the principles and major directions of cooperation to bring the bilateral comprehensive partnership to a new height, and make it more extensive, effective and practical. The two sides also reaffirmed common values such as treasuring peace, the spirit of independence and self-reliance, upholding multilateralism, respecting international law and the strength of international friendship and solidarity.

Based on the solid foundation of more than 50 years of the bilateral relations, historical similarities and common vision of the world, and high economic complementarity, the leader proposed a number of orientations for the Vietnam-Chile relations in the coming period, in which the two countries need to enhance political trust and practical cooperation through the exchange of delegations at all levels, enhance mutual understanding and mutually beneficial cooperation in areas where both sides have potential and strengths, including exchanges and cooperation between the Communist Party of Vietnam and major political parties in Chile.

President Cuong proposed promoting the connection between the Vietnamese and Chilean economies, and defining economic cooperation as the top priority and the key area in the bilateral relationship. In particular, it is necessary to continue to take advantage of and effectively implement the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the Vietnam - Chile Free Trade Council mechanism, as well as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to create new momentum to bring trade and investment relations between Vietnam and Chile to new milestones.

He also held that it is necessary to further promote bilateral investment opportunities as well as identifying priority areas of strategic breakthrough cooperation, helping to connect the two economies, towards sustainable development, contributing to the common prosperity of the world, especially in the fields of green transition, climate change response, building appropriate cooperation frameworks in international organisations, forums and mechanisms of which both sides are members.

The State President also proposed promoting educational cooperation, cultural and artistic exchanges, and developing tourism cooperation, thereby enhancing people-to-people exchanges and mutual understanding. In that process, the University of Chile can make important contributions and Vietnam encourages cooperation between universities of the two countries. This is an extremely important factor to promote understanding, knowledge sharing, and innovation cooperation.

According to the leader, in a world with many fluctuations and challenges, small and medium-sized countries like Vietnam and Chile must strive to contribute more actively to global governance, and promote multilateral approaches and international law. Many new international issues such as green development, energy transition, and artificial intelligence governance need to have a more comprehensive international framework soon.

Vietnam and Chile need to continue promoting multilateral cooperation, respecting international law, maintaining security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation in seas and oceans, including the Pacific Ocean, in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

President Cuong expressed his belief that with good traditional relations, goodwill and potential for bilateral comprehensive cooperation, the Vietnam - Chile relationship will continue to reach new heights, for the benefit of the people of the two countries, and for peace, cooperation and development in the two regions and the world.

This is the final activity during President Cuong’s official visit to Chile. In the afternoon of November 12 (local time), the State President and the high-ranking delegation of Vietnam set off for an official visit to Peru and attendance at the 2024 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in Lima from November 12-16