EU leaders wish to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam
President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen have sent congratulations to President Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the 30th founding anniversary of Vietnam-EU diplomatic ties.
President of the European Council Charles Michel (R) and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) –President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the EuropeanCommission Ursula von der Leyen have sent congratulations to President Nguyen PhuTrong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the 30th founding anniversary ofVietnam-EU diplomatic ties.
In their letters, the two EU leaders applaudedVietnam’s swift and decisive actions to contain the spread of COVID-19, therebysuccessfully curbing the outbreak and minimising deaths. They also offeredcondolences to the families of victims in floods in central Vietnam lastOctober and wished the injured to soon recover.
They held that over the last 30 years, Vietnamhas witnessed many developments, from the implementation of the Doi moi(Renewal) policy; the normalisation of relations with the EU, the US, andChina; and its joining in ASEAN to extensive structural reforms and thestrategy for socio-economic development via global integration.
These have helped Vietnam become one of thefastest growing economies in the world, according to them.
Given the settlement of important globalchallenges requiring active participation of both Europe and Asia, theofficials congratulated Vietnam on its constructive role as Chair of ASEAN in2020.
The EU pledges to further intensify the EU-ASEANcooperation and welcomes the official establishment of the EU-ASEAN strategicpartnership at the ministerial meeting on December 1, Michel and Leyen noted.
Vietnam is also now an active member in theworld, ready to assume growing international obligations, and share the EU’sstrong commitment to multilateralism, they said, adding that the currentpandemic is a global crisis that needs international solidarity and cooperationbeyond territorial limits.
In their letters, the Presidents of the EuropeanCouncil and Commission said over the last three decades, the EU-Vietnampartnership has developed unceasingly, supported by important agreementscovering different domains, from politics, trade, and defence to anti-illegallogging.
By jointly building a stronger partnership, theEU and Vietnam can together handle global challenges, and as a long-standingfriend of Vietnam, the EU welcomes the two sides discussing difficult issues inan open, straightforward and constructive manner, they affirmed.
The officials noted the EU-Vietnam partnershipis first and foremost for the sake of the Vietnamese and European people, anddevelopment cooperation will remain an important element in the EU’s commitmentto Vietnam.
They expressed the willingness to enhancecooperation with Vietnam in dealing with major global challenges, therebytogether contributing to peace and development in the world.
Michel and Leyen also said they hope to visitVietnam at appropriate points of time./.
Optimising quality of logistics services is a requisite measures to boost Vietnam-EU trade amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, experts said at the online business matching forum held on December 9.
The European Union (EU) is a top partner of Vietnam in many fields and the relationship with the bloc holds a strategic and important position in the country’s foreign policy, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said while receiving Ambassador Giorgio Aliberti, Head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam, in Hanoi on December 10.
Vietnamese tuna appears ideally placed to take advantage of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), with shipments rising 0.5 percent year-on-year to 126 million USD during January-November despite COVID-19.
The Joint Committee under the Vietnam-EU Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation Framework Agreement (PCA) held the second meeting in both virtual and face-to-face forms on December 15.
Vietnam and the EU have experienced fruitful cooperation in various sectors over the course of the last three decades, Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said in a message on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two sides.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
President of the European Council Charles Michel (R) and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) 
