Brazilian President's visit to Vietnam opens new phase of strong bilateral cooperation

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA

Brazilian President Lula da Silva made his first visit to Vietnam in July 2008. Could you please tell us what is the special significance of Brazilian President Lula da Silva's second visit to Vietnam?

This second visit to Vietnam by Brazilian President Lula da Silva is of great significance compared to the President's first official visit to Vietnam in 2008. While the visit to Vietnam in 2008 was mainly to discuss the friendship and bilateral cooperation between the two countries, this visit took place in the context of the Vietnam-Brazil relationship being upgraded to a Strategic Partnership, on the occasion of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's attendance at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024.

This upgrade of relations demonstrates the strong, substantial and effective development of the bilateral relationship, marking a qualitative leap forward in the political and foreign relations between the two countries. Vietnam is the first country in ASEAN to have a strategic partnership with Brazil in the South American region, similarly Brazil is the first country in this region to upgrade its relationship to a strategic level with Vietnam. Therefore, this visit is even more meaningful as it demonstrates the continuation of the agreements and cooperation reached during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to Brazil in 2023, as well as at the G20 Summit in 2024. President Lula da Silva's visit demonstrates the continuous development in relations between the two countries, as well as the commitment of both sides to agree on measures to effectively implement the framework of the Vietnam - Brazil Strategic Partnership, promoting practical cooperation in all areas such as politics - security, economics - trade - investment, science - technology - innovation, culture - society and climate change to a new height.

The visit is an opportunity for leaders of both sides to discuss and reach an agreement to concretize the content of the Strategic Partnership, realize political commitments through practical and effective cooperation programs, bringing benefits to both sides. This is also a major turning point for Vietnam in promoting cooperation with a country with the largest economy and a pivotal and leading role in South America. From there, Vietnam can diversify its economic partners, creating more development opportunities in key industries and fields.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil, Bui Van Nghi, gives an interview to VNA. Photo: Vietnamese Embassy in Brazil

Could the Ambassador share about the potential for cooperation between the two countries and the expectations to be achieved with the visit, especially in the context of the current volatile world?

The visit is a new milestone of extremely important significance in the bilateral relationship, in line with Vietnam's foreign policy, contributing to concretizing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress and the project "Developing relations between Vietnam and Latin American countries in the 2022-2026 period", promoting the implementation of international commitments and concretizing new cooperation frameworks, while affirming Vietnam's determination to strengthen cooperation with important partners in the Latin American region, especially Brazil.

The highlight of this visit is that the two countries will focus on exchanging cooperation orientations in meaningful and potential areas such as renewable energy, manufacturing industry, high-tech agriculture, biofuels, education and training, and climate change response. The two sides will discuss and propose specific measures to promote economic and trade cooperation, expand markets, and increase investment between the two countries. In particular, ministries, branches, localities, and enterprises of the two countries are expected to sign cooperation documents, creating a favorable legal corridor to promote the implementation of practical cooperation programs, bringing long-term benefits to both sides. Vietnam also expects Brazil to soon recognize the market economy status and accelerate the negotiation process of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), an important breakthrough to expand economic, trade, and investment cooperation in the future.

In addition to agreements on economic and trade cooperation, the visit also opens up opportunities for the two countries to exchange experiences and cooperate in other potential areas such as tourism, aviation, seaports and logistics. These are areas in which both countries have great potential but have not yet been fully exploited, and promoting cooperation in these areas will contribute to creating stronger development in bilateral relations.

In a complex, multi-networked, multi-centered, multi-layered, rapidly changing world facing many challenges in traditional and non-traditional security, close cooperation, information sharing, security and defense cooperation, in addition to economic cooperation, exploiting and utilizing the potential and complementarity between the two economies to diversify and multilateralize the market chains of labor, goods, industry, services, production, supply and consumption between countries is extremely important. Vietnam and Brazil can cooperate to promote global initiatives on environmental protection, peacekeeping and sustainable development. With current international cooperation mechanisms, the two countries can contribute to solving global challenges and issues, working together to build a world of peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development.

With high political trust, close cooperation and long-term vision, this visit of President Lula da Silva to Vietnam opens a period of strong, sustainable, substantive and effective cooperation and development in many fields, meeting the aspirations of the people of the two countries as well as consolidating and enhancing the position and prestige of each country in each region and in the international arena. This visit will open up many new opportunities, not only for Vietnam and Brazil, but also contribute to the stability and common prosperity in the region and the world.

After Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024, how did the Embassy prepare and implement activities before the visit of Brazilian President Lula da Silva to Vietnam?

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Mr. José Serrador, Vice President of EMBRAER Aviation Group. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA

After upgrading the Strategic Partnership within the framework of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's attendance at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024, the Vietnamese Embassy in Brazil coordinated with relevant domestic and Brazilian agencies to connect, arrange and organize for Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to receive large Brazilian corporations and enterprises such as EMBRAER, Alterosa - MK Group, JBS.SA, Oceanside One Trading and attend the Vietnam - Brazil Business Forum.

In order to be consistent with the relationship after being upgraded to a strategic partnership, promoting businesses, market research and related activities are essential. Therefore, in December 2024, the Embassy coordinated with the Vietnam Trade Office in Brazil to organize the "Vietnam - Brazil Business Meeting, Summary of Economic Diplomacy in 2024 and Cooperation Orientation in 2025" with the participation of nearly 50 delegates including representatives of leaders of a number of ministries, government agencies, federations/chambers of industry, trade and agriculture, and representatives from large enterprises to review the results of economic cooperation, share with the business community, friends and Brazilian partners updated information on Vietnam's socio-economic development in 2024 and Vietnam's economic prospects in 2025.

The Embassy also organized working trips to the states to explore opportunities for economic, trade, investment and educational cooperation between Vietnam and Brazil, and met with local businesses to learn about the market and needs of Brazilian businesses. During a working trip to Espirito Santo state last January, companies in the state expressed interest in Vietnam's key products such as rice, coffee, cashew nuts and tropical fruits, garments, footwear - children's shoes, electronics, ceramics, handicrafts, and household appliances. This created the premise for the Embassy to promote a delegation of more than 10 businesses led by the Deputy Governor of Espirito Santo state to come to Vietnam to attend the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival that was recently held.

In addition, the Embassy actively met and worked with the legislative body, together with the Brazilian side to discuss and promote the development of Vietnam - Brazil and regional relations, such as working with the Permanent Vice President of the Brazilian Senate, speaking at the Opening Ceremony of the Brazil - ASEAN Parliamentary Front, working with MERCOSUR parliamentarians at the House of Representatives to lobby for the negotiation and signing of the Vietnam - MERCOSUR FTA, as well as the relationship between the two countries, working and calling on business associations to support Vietnam to be recognized as a market economy, including the JBS SA Brazil Group (the world's largest livestock and poultry meat processing enterprise), coordinating with Vietnamese enterprises and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to bring peach palm and Brazilian quail varieties to be produced in Vietnam.

All these activities aim to maximize the effectiveness of President Lula da Silva's visit, affirm the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Brazil, and create new steps in comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

How does the Ambassador feel about the country and people of Brazil?

Regarding the country and people of Brazil, I feel that this is a special country with a harmonious combination of majestic natural beauty and cultural richness. This country stands out with its diverse natural landscape, from beautiful long beaches to the Amazon rainforest. In particular, Brazil's tropical climate also creates a vibrant, warm and friendly culture, making the people here always cheerful and optimistic.

Brazilians are known for their openness, friendliness and warmth. Brazilians love their culture, samba, the vibrant Carnival and sports, especially football, and they always show a warm welcome to international friends. Their spirit of solidarity and optimism in life are their strengths, making anyone who comes to Brazil feel the warmth and easily connect with them.

Although Brazil has its own distinct culture, there are clear similarities between the cultures of Brazil and Vietnam. Both have rich, traditional cultures that place a high value on family and community, and a tropical climate. Both countries enjoy music, dance, and celebrate vibrant, community-oriented festivals, such as Brazil’s Carnival and Vietnam’s Lunar New Year.

In addition, both Brazil and Vietnam have distinctive dishes, closely linked to agricultural traditions, with a combination of natural ingredients and unique processing methods. This creates a closeness between the two cultures, as both are attached to the land and value freshness and health in food.

I believe that promoting cultural exchanges between Vietnam and Brazil is very important to enhance mutual understanding. In 2024, on the occasion of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's attendance at the G20 Summit, the Vietnam Day in Brazil program was held for the first time, attracting many Brazilian friends and international guests. Organizing cultural events, art exhibitions, and student and scholar exchange programs are great opportunities for people of the two countries to interact, learn and share with each other about traditions, culture and lifestyle. People-to-people exchanges not only help strengthen the relationship between the two countries but also create long-term friendships, contributing to building a solid foundation for future cooperation.

I believe that developing cultural exchange activities will help strengthen solidarity between the two peoples, contributing to building a sustainable relationship not only in the political and economic fields but also in the social, cultural, educational and human fields.

Thank you very much Ambassador!

Dieu Huong (Vietnam News Agency)

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/chinh-tri/chuyen-tham-cua-tong-thong-brazil-toi-viet-nam-mo-ra-giai-doan-hop-tac-song-phuong-manh-me-20250325074459490.htm