Chairwoman of the Argentina – Vietnam Culture Institute (ICAV) Poldi Sosa Schmidt speaks at an event to mark 25th anniversary of the institute. (Photo: VNA) Highlighting the milestones in the bilateral cooperation, she said Argentina was the third Latin American country setting up diplomatic relations with Vietnam (October 25, 1973), following Cuba and Chile.
In the 1990s, both sides opened their embassies in each other’s capital city, helping elevate the bilateral ties to a new high, she said, adding both sides inked two agreements on economic and trade cooperation, and promotion and reciprocal protection of investments.
Another milestone in their relations that helps spur two-way trade over years is the establishment of the Comprehensive Partnership in 2010, the official stressed.
Argentina has seen Vietnam among its top partners in the Southeast Asian region, she said, adding together with the sound political- diplomatic ties, the collaboration across economy as well as trade and investment between the two nations has continued to bear fruits, providing a basis for their time-tested relations.
However, there is ample room for both sides to enhance cooperation in culture and people-to-people exchange, she said, expressing her hope that academic exchanges will be further promoted, and the celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations serve as a good opportunity for the two countries to bolster collaboration in the fields.
Julia Perie, an Argentine parliamentarian at the Mercosur Parliament (Parlasur) and former Chairwoman of the Argentina-Vietnam Friendship Association, also said both countries should pay due heed to enhancing academic and cultural exchanges so as to promote cooperation potential.
She highlighted the Vietnam-Argentina relations have been developed based on the solidarity between the two peoples and the support that they have given each other over the past five decades.
Describing economic-trade cooperation as a bright spot in the comprehensive partnership, with Vietnam being the 6th largest trade partner of the Latin American nation, Parie stressed that both sides hold huge potential to step up collaboration, and it is necessary to enhance activities within their cooperation mechanisms on the basis of the two economies’ complementary strengths.
She added that both nations have enjoyed close cooperation at international organisations and multilateral forums, especially at the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement, the World Trade Organisation, and the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation, helping bring practical benefits to people of each country while contributing to building a world of peace, stability, cooperation, and development./.
VNA
