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| President Luong Cuong and his Chilean counterpart Gabriel Boric Font hold talks.__Photo: VNA |
State President Luong Cuong and his entourage arrived in Hanoi on November 18 morning, successfully concluding their official visits to Chile and Peru, and attendance at the 2024 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week. The visits spotlighted Vietnam’s solidarity relations and responsibility for global issues.
This is the first overseas trip by President Cuong in his new position, carrying significant importance in both bilateral and multilateral dimensions. The visits highlighted the promising prospects for relations between Vietnam and the two Southern American nations. Strengthening ties with these countries is expected to pave the way for Vietnam to expand its cooperation with other nations in Latin America.
Meanwhile, the President’s participation in the 2024 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week coincided with the 35th anniversary of the forum, reaffirming Vietnam's active and responsible contributions to addressing regional and global issues, especially promoting international economic integration and creating new momentum for regional growth.
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| State President Luong Cuong (C) attends the 2024 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week.__Photo: VNA |
Promoting traditional relations, connecting future
During his official visits to Chile and Peru, President Cuong engaged in substantive and productive activities, including retreats, official talks, and meetings with high-ranking leaders. He also met with local officials and representatives from leading businesses of the two countries, delivered an important policy speech at the University of Chile, attended the inauguration of Vietnam's Defense Attaché Office in Chile, had a meeting with representatives of the Vietnamese embassy and community in Chile, and a working session with Viettel Peru S.A.C (Bitel) - a joint venture of the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel) in the Latin American nation.
A remarkable highlight of President Cuong’s meetings with Peruvian and Chilean leaders was the profound respect and admiration they expressed for Vietnam. They praised the Southeast Asian nation's indomitable spirit, resilience, and strong will to rise up even in the most challenging years of its struggle for national independence, its remarkable and dynamic economic growth during the reform era and national development, as well as Vietnam's growing role and position in the international arena today.
Leaders from the South American nations fondly recalled the beautiful memories of solidarity and friendship that generations of young people in the Latin American region have had for Vietnam in the past. For that reason, the leaders of Vietnam as well as Chile and Peru all wished to further nurture and expand their bonds of solidarity and friendship towards a future of more effective, substantive, and deeper cooperation across fields.
In Chile, during a friendly meeting at the Ho Chi Minh monument in Santiago, former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet recounted her unforgettable visits to Vietnam in different positions, the warm, close, and sincere feelings that generations of Vietnamese leaders and people had for her personally and the Chilean people. She expressed her admiration for the indomitable and resilient spirit of the Vietnamese people in the struggle for national independence, saying that Vietnam became a symbol in the hearts of peace-loving people around the world.
Meanwhile, Senator Isabel Allende, daughter of late Chilean President Salvador Allende who alongside Vietnamese late President Ho Chi Minh laid the foundation for the solidarity and friendship between the two countries, showed her hope that President Cuong's visit will mark a historic milestone showing the two nations tighten the bilateral friendship and cooperation.
While acknowledging the positive outcomes of the existing free trade agreement between the two nations, she highlighted the need to foster closer ties, not only in economic and trade relations but also across other fields, contributing to joint efforts to address regional and global issues, for peace and cooperation worldwide.
In his policy speech at the University of Chile - the largest and oldest higher education institution in Chile, the Vietnamese state leader highlighted the historical parallels between the two nations, Vietnam’s development path and foreign policy, and the vision and orientation for bilateral relations in the future.
Based on the shared historical similarities and the positive results of their traditional cooperation in the areas of politics, economics, trade, and security-defense, Cuong proposed enhancing cooperation in education, cultural and artistic exchanges, and tourism development, thus promoting people-to-people exchanges and mutual understanding.
In this process, the University of Chile can make important contributions, Cuong said, adding that Vietnam encourages cooperation between universities of the two countries. He noted that this is seen as a crucial factor to boost mutual understanding, knowledge sharing, and innovation cooperation.
Sharing Cuong’s vision, Rosa Reves, Rector of the University of Chile, stated that cooperation between the Chilean education institute and Vietnamese universities is of great importance, stressing that the two sides are at a favorable time to implement this direction.
According to Reves, the university has launched a new curriculum related to Asian studies at its Institute of International Studies (IEI), including at the doctoral level. These are the highest-level courses focusing on the relationship between Chile and Asia, including Vietnam. She also emphasized the importance of popularizing and educating Chilean students, especially new cohorts, on Vietnam's people, history, and culture, thus contributing to strengthening and tightening the friendship between the two countries.
In Peru, Vietnam has made a significant impression as a hardworking, creative, and dynamic nation, with a prominent example being Bitel.
After 10 years of overcoming numerous challenges, from natural and cultural barriers to language differences and fierce market competition, Bitel has become the network operator with the largest network infrastructure in Peru. It boasts an extensive distribution system across the country, with offices in all of Peru’s states.
Mayor of Lima Rafael Lopez remarked during a meeting with President Cuong that Vietnam had completely transformed the approach to technology for the people of Peru. Today, Peruvians, whether from remote mountain areas, impoverished rural regions, or major cities, all have access to Vietnamese telecommunications networks. The Bitel team has steadily affirmed its position, while also serving as a bridge of solidarity and friendship between the two peoples.
During his visit to the two Latin American friends, a series of significant agreements were signed, including the Vietnam – Chile joint statement, a joint declaration on the enhancement of the Vietnam-Peru relations, and nearly 10 cooperation agreements spanning defense, agriculture, culture, and trade promotion. These pacts are set to lay the foundation for deepening Vietnam's comprehensive partnership with Chile and multifaceted cooperation with Peru.
As a mark of high regard, Peruvian President Dina Boluarte presented President Cuong with the Grand Cross of the “Order of the Sun of Peru” - the nation’s highest state honor. Additionally, Lima’s Mayor Rafael Lopez awarded the Vietnamese leader a token key to the city and recognized him as an honorary guest of the Peruvian capital. Such events underscored the appreciation and affection of the Peruvian state and people for the Vietnamese President and people.
In an interview granted accompanying journalists, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son affirmed that the official visits reflected Vietnam's consistent foreign policy of valuing traditional friendships, particularly with Chile and Peru. They have created new momentum and opened up opportunities for cooperation across traditional fields like agriculture, defense-security, education, and tourism, as well as emerging areas such as innovation, green transition, digital transformation, climate change response, energy, oil and gas, and telecommunications.
Vietnam making proactive, responsible contributions to global issues
Amidst a complex and unpredictable global landscape as well as new challenges and opportunities facing APEC following its 35 years of development, Vietnam's proactive, responsible, and constructive participation in the forum has gained considerable significance.
President Cuong and the Vietnamese delegation participated actively and responsibly in all key events within the APEC 2024 Leaders’ Week in Peru. In more than two days, the state leader attended the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, the APEC CEO Summit 2024, the APEC Leaders' Informal Dialogue with Guests, and a luncheon dialogue between APEC leaders and the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). In addition to these multilateral engagements, the President also held a series of bilateral meetings with high-ranking leaders from Vietnam’s key partners and exchanged views with top executives from leading global corporations.
During the events, he put forward numerous strategic and groundbreaking proposals aimed at enhancing APEC’s role and position in fostering international economic cooperation and integration and addressing challenges facing the global and Asia-Pacific communities. His insights shared at the leaders’ week once again delivered a strong message about Vietnam entering a new era – that of the nation's rise - and showcased a country that is dynamic, innovative, and asserting itself as a premier destination for international investors.
Addressing the CEO Summit, he underscored epochal shifts reshaping the global political and economic landscape, with far-reaching impacts on nations and businesses alike. In this context, he noted that APEC serves as a vital platform for reflection, dialogue, and building the most favorable international economic governance system for the development of its member economies. After nearly four decades of reform and extensive global integration, Vietnam has emerged as a symbol of peace, a beacon of global economic progress, and a land of opportunity, he stated.
The President declared that Vietnam is entering a new era with a new spirit, driven by an unyielding aspiration for a prosperous and happy nation and firm confidence in a bright future. Vietnam’s journey is bolstered by its rapid and dynamic economic growth – currently the 35th largest economy in the world, stable and robust people-centered political system, patriotic and resilient population of over 100 million, and broad network of international friends and partners spanning all continents. He pointed out that Vietnam’s robust development trajectory opens up abundant new opportunities for both domestic and international businesses in trade, industry, agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, logistics, and high-tech sectors.
As Foreign Minister Son noted, the state leader’s participation in the CEO Summit as well as discussions with the ABAC and business leaders have significantly contributed to the event’s overall success and encouraged the business community to actively support APEC's cooperation agenda – a vital element for the forum's achievements.
To ensure APEC remains resilient in addressing challenges and seizing opportunities, President Cuong proposed three major cooperation directions. First it is necessary to promote trade and investment liberalization and strengthen a rules-based multilateral trading system, the second point is expanding programs and initiatives on inclusivity and technological advancements, and the third is the continuous enhancement of institutional capacity and global governance.
Over more than 25 years of membership, Vietnam has made active, responsible, and effective contributions to the forum's realization of its goals and vision and strengthening of its position. Looking ahead, Vietnam will prioritize strategic areas for regional and global economic development in the new era, and advance APEC’s traditional strengths of trade and investment liberalization, while ensuring thorough and comprehensive preparations for its hosting of the APEC Year in 2027.- (VNA/VLLF)
