During the meeting, part of activities to mark the 45 th anniversary of Vietnam-Chile diplomatic ties, the two sides shared their sentiments for late Chilean President Salvador Allende and President Ho Chi Minh, who laid the foundation for the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
Senator Allende expressed her respect for Vietnam’s past struggle for national independence as well as its economic achievements in recent years. Recently, on the occasion of late President Ho Chi Minh’s birthday (May 19), the Vietnamese Embassy in Chile and the Chile-Vietnam Cultural Institute jointly held a conference on Vietnam with the participation of about 100 diplomats, scholars and reporters.
For his part, Vietnamese Ambassador to Chile Ngo Duc Thang highlighted the Vietnamese diplomacy’s achievements and asserted the Party and State’s firm determination that East Sea disputes will be solved through peaceful measures in accordance with international laws. Ambassador Thang said he is willing to act as a bridge for the two parties, while coordinating with the CSP in organising activities to maintain and develop ties between the two nations and parties.
At the event, Ambassador Thang reviewed Vietnam’s socio-economic development orientations until 2020 announced during the 12th Party Congress, as well as the main attainments the country has achieved over the past three decades of renewal, and discussed the East Sea situation.
Vietnam and Chile established diplomatic relations in 1972 and Vietnam is currently the second largest trade partner of Chile in ASEAN. The Vietnam-Chile free trade agreement (FTA) was signed in November 2011, taking effect in early 2014. It is also the first FTA that Vietnam signed with a Latin America country.
Last year, thanks to the Vietnam-Chile free trade agreement, Vietnam exported 522 million USD worth of goods to Chile , up 136.8 percent over the previous year, while importing 368 million USD from the South American country, a rise of 15.1 percent. This is the first time Vietnam has enjoyed a trade surplus with Chile. Participants also highlighted the affiliation potential between the two countries within the framework of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
