Chilean Foreign Affairs Minister Andres Allamand and Vietnamese Ambassador to Chile Nguyen Ngoc Son (R) at the event (Photo: VNA)
Santiago (VNA) – Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Vietnamese Embassy held an event on March 25 to celebrate 50 years of the two nations’ diplomatic relations (March 25, 1971-2021). In his speech, Chilean Foreign Affairs Minister Andres Allamand lauded Vietnamese people’s bravery during their past struggles for independence as well as the nation’s achievements in the recent past, particularly in economy, pandemic prevention, and diplomacy.
Allamand said the Vietnam – Chile friendship and cooperation have grown significantly, especially after the two signed a free trade agreement in 2011.
The minister highlighted a phone talk between Chilean President Sebastian Pinera and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations as a proof of their friendship.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Chile Nguyen Ngoc Son said Vietnam and Chile share close ties despite geographical distance, adding that they established a comprehensive partnership in 2007.
Son noted the two hold similar stances on most of key global issues and are proactively and responsibly participating in many multilateral mechanisms. Their top leaders have visited each other many times, while their cultural and educational relationship and people-to-people exchange have expanded continuously over the years, he added.
The ambassador said despite COVID-19-related difficulties, the embassy has worked with Chilean partners to organise activities celebrating the five-decade relations, including publishing special issues on the University of Chile’s radio channel to popularize the comprehensive partnership as well as Vietnamese economic, cultural, and tourism affairs./.
VNA