Buenos Aires (VNA) – The Argentina–Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group and the Argentina–Vietnam Chamber of Commerce (AVCC) co-hosted a seminar in Buenos Aires on August 25 to explore opportunities and avenues for expanding bilateral economic relations.
Speaking at the seminar, Congressman Santiago Pauli, Chair of the Argentina–Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group, highlighted the natural complementarity between the two economies.
He noted that Vietnam has a high demand for agricultural products for consumption, processing, and subsequent export, while Argentina boasts competitive agro-industrial production alongside renowned capabilities in biotechnology and genetics.
Pauli said the Argentina–Vietnam relationship must go beyond the mere exchange of goods to build joint value chains, promote investments, and facilitate access to new markets. In this regard, Vietnam's position within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a region of over 600 million people, offers vast opportunities to transform the current trade relationship into a genuine productive partnership.
He emphasised that it is a priority to consolidate the strategic partnership and advance mechanisms to facilitate bilateral ties. These include agreements on investment, the avoidance of double taxation, air services, agro-industrial cooperation, and preferential trade between Vietnam and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR).
Meanwhile, Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina Ngo Minh Nguyet noted that Vietnam is currently Argentina's sixth-largest trading partner worldwide while Argentina ranks third among Vietnam's trading partners in Latin America.
She highlighted that the two economies are highly complementary, with their respective economic strengths naturally offsetting one another.
According to Vietnam Customs data, bilateral trade reached 4.27 billion USD in 2025, a 4.1% increase compared to 2024. Of this amount, Vietnamese exports to Argentina stood at nearly 877 million USD while imports from the latter were around 3.39 billion USD.
The diplomat also underscored the vast potential for cooperation in sectors such as critical minerals, biotechnology, renewable energy, health care, and pharmaceuticals.
In turn, Vietnam’s machinery, equipment, electronic components, and consumer goods can continue to provide high-quality, competitively priced inputs to support Argentina’s industrial modernisation process, she added.
The ambassador reported that Vietnam and MERCOSUR officially launched negotiations for a preferential trade agreement (PTA) in December 2025, with the first round currently taking place in Buenos Aires. Furthermore, Argentina has officially expressed its intention to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), of which Vietnam is a founding member.
Nguyet noted that the conclusion of the Vietnam–MERCOSUR PTA and Argentina’s potential accession to the CPTPP will generate significant benefits for businesses in both nations.
AVCC President Guillermo Perez Cena stated that Argentina still has vast untapped potential in the Vietnamese market, particularly in food, agro-industry, technology, and higher value-added products.
He stressed that entering the Vietnamese market is not merely about finding buyers; it requires building trust, gaining an in-depth understanding of the local market, adapting to the culture, and forging long-term relationships.
Perez Cena affirmed that the AVCC aims to serve as an institutional and corporate bridge between the two countries.
Furthermore, he called for stronger coordination among business chambers, enterprises, universities, public agencies, and industry associations to build an effective cooperation network between the two nations./.
