Argentina’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship Diana Elena Mondino writes in a guestbook in the witness of Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son onMarch 19 held talks with Argentina’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, InternationalTrade and Worship Diana Elena Mondino who is paying an official visit toVietnam from March 19-20.
During the talks, the two sides informed each other abouteach country's situation, agreed on directions and measures tostrengthen the comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and Argentina, and discussed thepossibility of establishing a strategic partnership in the field of industryand agriculture between the two countries. The two sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.
Minister Son affirmed that Vietnam values the traditional friendshipand comprehensive partnership of Vietnam and Argentina, and wishes to promote bilateral cooperation in accordance with the strengths and needs of both sides, especially in economics, trade, and investment, and explore new areas of cooperation such as science, technology, green growth, energy transition, and digital transformation.
To make the relationship between the two countries moreeffective and substantive, Son proposed that Argentina, as a member of TheSouthern Common Market (MERCOSUR), actively promote the bloc's internalconsultation process for the early start of negotiations on a free trade agreementbetween Vietnam and MERCOSUR, and continue to coordinate with Vietnam topromote cooperation between Argentina and ASEAN, and between MERCOSUR andASEAN.
For her part, Minister Mondino affirmed that theArgentine Government always values and wishes to strengthen relations withVietnam in its overall policy towards the Asia-Pacific region.
She expressed her admiration for Vietnam's achievementsduring its national construction and development, particularly its Doi Moi(renewal) process, which she said are experiences that the two countries can share toserve each other's socioeconomic development.
She also agreed with Son over strengthening and expanding thetwo countries’ cooperation bilaterally and multilaterally, for the benefit ofthe two peoples and the two countries as well as for peace, cooperation, anddevelopment in the two regions and the world.
The two ministers spoke highly of the positive developments in bilateral ties over the past years, especially joint activities marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2023.
They described trade-economy ties as a highlight in bilateral cooperation, saying that two-way trade hit 3.45 billion USD last year. Vietnam is currently Argentina's sixth largest trading partner and fifth biggest export market in the world. Argentina, in turn, is Vietnam's third biggest trading partner in Latin America.
Recognising untapped potential, particularly in investment, they agreed on a series of measures to deepen comprehensive collaboration across various sectors, including politics, diplomacy, economy, trade, agriculture, science, technology, culture, sports, tourism, national defense, and security.
Both sides also agreed to boost exchanges and consider exploring cooperation in areas of mutual demand, such as energy.
To achieve these goals, they pledged to continue utilising existing mechanisms like the deputy foreign ministerial-level political consultation and the Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic, Trade, and Investment Cooperation.
The officials also commended their ongoing collaboration and support for each other at international organisations and multilateral forums, agreeing to strengthen cooperation at the United Nations, World Trade Organisation, Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), and within the South-South cooperation framework./.
