Mexico (VNA) – A delegation of the National Assembly (NA)'s Committee for External Relations led by its Chairman Vu Hai Ha, who is also a member of the Party Central Committee, made a working visit to the Republic of Colombia from July 20-23, as part of the NA’s foreign affair programme this year.
Within the framework of the visit, the official held working sessions with First Vice President of the Colombian Senate Jhon Jairo Roldán Avendaño, Chairman of the Colombian Communist Party Jaime Caicedo, Deputy Minister of Trade Luis Felipe Quintero, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Jorge Rojas Rodriguez, Deputy Minister of Culture Jorge Ignacio Zorro Sanchez, Deouty Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism Arturo Bravo, and representatives from ProColombia - the organisation in charge of promoting tourism, foreign investment in Colombia.
The delegation also participated in a ceremony marking the 45th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Colombian leaders and representatives of various political parties extended heartfelt condolences to the Communist Party, Government, and people of Vietnam on the passing of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, acknowledging his profound contributions to Vietnam’s socio-economic progress.
Ha provided an overview of Vietnam's socio-economic development, emphasising that his visit aims to bolster friendly relations and cooperation between the legislative bodies and relevant ministries of both countries, seeking to further solidify the traditional friendship between the two nations across various sectors.
The official underscored Vietnam's commitment to strengthening traditional ties with Latin American countries, including Colombia. He recalled that diplomatic relations were established at a time when Vietnam was emerging from a prolonged struggle for independence and in the process of national reconstruction, and expressed Vietnam's gratitude for the valuable support from Colombia and the global community of justice and peace.
Ha congratulated Colombia on its recent significant and positive achievements under the leadership of President Gustavo Petro, saying Colombia is a key partner of Vietnam in the Americas. He expressed his desire for deepening and expanding the bilateral relationship in a comprehensive manner.
First Vice President of the Colombian Senate Jhon Jairo Roldán Avendaño said the Vietnamese National Assembly delegation's first visit to Colombia marks a new chapter in the relationship between the legislative bodies of the two countries and a reinforcement of the traditional ties between the nations.
During the discussions, they concurred that, beyond strong political ties, there is ample room for economic and trade cooperation.
The two countries have complementary strengths in such sectors as coal, minerals, renewable energy, and wood and leather products. They are also committed to collaborating towards the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
In a meeting with the leadership of the Colombian Communist Party (PCC), Ha reaffirmed Vietnam's high evaluation of its relationship with Colombia, including the PCC. He spoke highly of the PCC's positive contributions to Colombia's socio-economic development as part of the ruling coalition.
PCC Chairman Jaime Caicedo Turiago described the visit as a significant milestone in promoting the traditional relationship between the two parties and states. He admired Vietnam's achievements in its struggle for national independence and its ongoing reforms under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The PCC leader expressed keen interest in learning more about Vietnam's socialist model and path, particularly in such areas as party building, corruption fight, and social development.
The PCC leaders provided an overview of the party and Colombia's political, economic, and social situation.
In discussions with Vice Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism Arturo Bravo and ProColombia representatives, both sides agreed to further implement the Memorandum of Understanding on trade, investment, and industrial cooperation signed in September 2023. They also committed to maintaining the Vietnam-Colombia Joint Economic Committee mechanism.
Additionally, the two sides agreed to explore potential cooperation areas, including renewable energy development, essential mineral extraction, sustainable tourism promotion, and the development of wood and leather products. According to statistics, bilateral trade reached 790 million USD in 2023, making Colombia Vietnam's fifth-largest trading partner in Latin America.
The delegation also attended the 45th anniversary of the Vietnam- Colombia diplomatic relations and a seminar titled "45 years of Vietnam- Colombia diplomatic relations: achievements and prospects”./.
