Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam and Brazil are stepping up efforts to strengthen bilateral trade and investment as businesses, industry associations and policymakers of both countries explored new market opportunities and ways to expand cooperation at an economic, trade and investment exchange seminar in the Latin American country on July 9.
Hosted by the Embassy of Vietnam in Brazil, the seminar brought together representatives from government agencies, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the Brazilian Association of Fish Promotion (ABRAPES), industry associations, businesses, experts, researchers and partners from the two countries. It provided updates on bilateral economic cooperation and discussed market opportunities.
Addressing the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil Bui Van Nghi informed that two-way trade reached 4.22 billion USD in the first six months of 2026, up 16.8% year-on-year. Brazil's exports to Vietnam exceeded 2 billion USD, rising 16.6%, while its imports from Vietnam totalled about 2.11 billion USD, an increase of 17%.
He said Brazil remains a key supplier of agricultural products, raw materials and strategic commodities to Vietnam, including soybeans, corn, cotton, meat, pulp, ores and minerals. Meanwhile, Vietnam exports mobile phones and components, computers, electronic products, machinery, garments and textiles, footwear, wooden products, seafood and processed food to the Brazilian market.
The ambassador said the complementary trade structure provides a solid foundation for the two countries to expand not only merchandise trade but also cooperation in investment, processing, logistics, distribution, technology and value chains.
He also welcomed the launch of negotiations on a preferential trade agreement (PTA) between Vietnam and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur).
Regarding priorities in the coming years, the diplomat called for the establishment of permanent mechanisms to facilitate information sharing between the two governments and businesses, stronger cooperation between Brazilian states and Vietnamese localities, and expanded partnerships in renewable energy, biofuels, logistics, digital transformation, biotechnology and green industry, while accelerating the Vietnam–Mercosur trade negotiations.
ABRAPES Executive Director Thamires Quinhoes said Vietnam has become an important seafood supplier to Brazil. She affirmed that Brazilian seafood importers support a transparent, stable, predictable and science-based management environment.
Brazilian businesses want to strengthen cooperation with Vietnamese associations, enterprises and authorities to share technical information, promote institutional dialogue and reinforce the role of Vietnamese seafood as a complementary source of supply for the Brazilian market, she added/.
