Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Poland have agreed to elevate their bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership, opening up a new chapter in their longstanding friendship and cooperation.
The announcement was made by Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk at a press briefing following their talks at the Government headquarters in Hanoi on October 26.
PM Hung expressed Vietnam’s deep appreciation for the valuable support extended by the Polish State and people throughout history, citing the Kilinski ship’s peace mission, joint educational and healthcare projects, Ha Long shipyard in Quang Ninh, and Polish experts’ contributions to preserving Vietnamese heritage sites, including Hue Imperial City, the Cham towers in Hoi An and My Son Sanctuary. Generations of Vietnamese students educated in Poland have also served as a lasting bridge between the two nations.
With a joint vision and strong determination to herald a new phase of more comprehensive and substantive development for bilateral cooperation, the two sides adopted a joint statement on establishing the Strategic Partnership and an action plan to strengthen bilateral ties for 2026–2030. They also witnessed the exchange of two cooperation documents on higher education and tourism.
PM Hung said the two sides reached high consensus on enhancing political trust by maintaining all-level mutual visits and engagements between their Parties, States, Governments, parliaments and localities, as well as people-to-people exchanges. They will improve the effectiveness of existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and consider establishing an intergovernmental committee on economic cooperation to address obstacles and facilitate trade and investment ties.
Vietnam will actively consider Poland’s proposal to expand visa exemptions for Polish citizens in accordance with Vietnamese law, while asking Poland to consider visa exemptions for Vietnamese official passport holders, he noted.
Both countries pledged to effectively implement the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), targeting bilateral trade of 6 billion USD by 2030. Poland will serve as a gateway for Vietnamese goods to Central and Eastern Europe, while Vietnam aims to become a platform for Polish and EU businesses to access the dynamic ASEAN market.
Cooperation will be expanded in energy transition, smart agriculture, digital transformation, space technology, pharmaceuticals, strategic infrastructure, shipbuilding, railways, green transition and environmental protection, with an emphasis on technology transfer and sustainable development.
PM Hung shared that he and his Polish counterpart also agreed to further deepen defence and security cooperation, including efforts to combat transnational and high-tech crime, cybercrime and non-traditional security threats.
Science, technology, innovation and digital transformation will become a new pillar of the Strategic Partnership, supported by stronger research, training and technology transfer links among universities, research institutes and businesses.
Education, culture, tourism and labour cooperation and people-to-people exchanges will be fostered to become lasting foundations of bilateral relations. The two countries will expand university partnerships, increase scholarships and promote cooperation in cultural industries, cinema, performing arts, heritage preservation and sports, PM Hung added.
Vietnam welcomed LOT Polish Airlines’ announcement that it will resume direct flights between Warsaw and Hanoi.
The two sides also pledged to carry out the labour cooperation agreement and strengthen ties in vocational training and high-skilled workforce development to help Vienamese workers meet international standards and the needs of Polish businesses operating in Vietnam.
PM Hung thanked the Polish Government for facilitating the integration of the Vietnamese community in Poland, noting their positive contributions to the host country’s socio-economic development and bilateral friendship.
On multilateral issues, the two leaders reaffirmed their support for a multipolar world based on international law and the central role of the United Nations. They agreed to strengthen coordination at regional and international forums, ensure maritime security and freedom of navigation, and support the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), according to the host leader.
PM Tusk described the elevation of ties as evidence of strong political trust and a solid foundation for broader cooperation.
He called Vietnam one of Poland’s important partners in Asia and stressed the need to translate positive political relations into concrete economic projects, improve the investment environment and remove barriers facing businesses.
He also highlighted opportunities in tourism, direct air connectivity, education, student exchanges and research cooperation, expressing confidence that political trust, mutual respect and close-knit ties between the two peoples provide a cornerstone for expanding cooperation in various areas.
The Polish leader voiced his belief that his visit and meetings during the trip will create a solid foundation for bilateral relations to keep growing, delivering tangible benefits for both sides.
Earlier, in the presence of the two PMs, officials exchanged a cooperation agreement on higher education and scientific research between Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training and Poland’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education, as well as a tourism cooperation memorandum of understanding between Vietnam's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Poland's Ministry of Sports and Tourism.
The two leaders also visited a photo exhibition on Vietnam–Poland friendship organised by the Government Office in coordination with the Vietnam News Agency./.
