Hanoi (VNA) - Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has hailed his second visit to Vietnam as a resounding success, marked by significant outcomes that further solidify the Strategic Partnership between the two nations.
Speaking at a press conference before concluding his three-day state visit, President Lula da Silva underscored the immense potential for deeper bilateral collaboration. He emphasised his vision of fostering "unlimited cooperation" between Vietnam and Brazil to achieve shared development goals.
Praising Vietnam’s impressive economic growth, the Brazilian leader voiced his optimism that bilateral trade could surge to 20 billion USD by 2030. To facilitate this ambition, both sides agreed to establish a joint steering committee on economic and agricultural development to enhance strategic coordination.
President Lula da Silva expressed his strong interest in expanding business-to-business cooperation, highlighting Brazil’s commitment to acting as a gateway for Vietnamese exports to the Mercosur bloc and Latin America. Conversely, he envisioned Vietnam as a vital bridge connecting Brazil to the dynamic ASEAN market, home to over 600 million consumers. Brazil’s efforts to diversify its domestic production also open new opportunities for knowledge exchange with Vietnam, he added.
A key milestone during the visit was Vietnam's decision to allow imports of Brazilian beef, a move that President Lula da Silva announced will be followed by Brazilian investments in beef processing plants in Vietnam. These facilities are expected to streamline exports of Brazilian beef across the ASEAN region.
The Brazilian President further revealed that Brazilian businesses are prioritising investments in food processing plants in Vietnam. Efforts to balance bilateral trade and bolster cooperation in civil aviation are also underway.
Cultural and sporting ties are set to thrive as well, with both nations signing a memorandum of understanding to enhance collaboration in football development.
On the global stage, President Lula da Silva called for stronger coordination between the two nations in multilateral forums, such as the United Nations, while reiterating Brazil’s support for multilateralism.
To deepen ties further, the Brazilian President extended a special invitation to Vietnam to send a high-level delegation to the BRICS Summit and the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil in 2025. COP30 is poised to address urgent climate and environmental challenges, with President Lula da Silva expressing his hope for enhanced cooperation with Vietnam in this vital area./.
