Making a strong Vietnamese mark on the international arena

On the morning of September 30, General Secretary and President To Lam and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation left Hanoi for a state visit to Mongolia and Ireland, to attend the 19th Francophone Summit, and to pay an official visit to the French Republic. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam and Mongolia have signed a number of important cooperation documents to promote economic and trade cooperation such as the first Trade Agreement in 1957 and the Trade Agreement in 1999. The Vietnam-Mongolia Intergovernmental Committee on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation was established in December 1979 and resumed operations in 1996. The two sides hold regular meetings every two years, with the most recent meeting being in August 2022 in the capital Ulan Bator. In 2013, Mongolia recognized Vietnam's market economy status. The two sides have established the Vietnam-Mongolia Business Council, organized many survey delegations, business forums, and trade and investment promotion seminars.

President Ho Chi Minh held talks with First Secretary of the People's Revolutionary Party and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Mongolian People's Republic Tsedenbal on his visit to Vietnam in 1959. (Photo: VNA)

In 1996, the two sides signed a bilateral trade cooperation agreement. Bilateral trade turnover reached more than 6 million USD in 2008, increasing to more than 120 million USD in 2023. Vietnam's main exports to Mongolia include: agricultural products (rice, coffee, dried pho, dried fruit), beer, confectionery, packaged spices, some types of pharmaceuticals, wooden household goods, electronic components, computers, phones, garments, handicrafts, etc.

In the field of education, the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Education was re-signed by the two countries in 2012. To date, about 15 graduate students and nearly 200 Vietnamese students have graduated from universities in Mongolia. At the same time, more than 200 Mongolian students have graduated from universities and institutes in Vietnam.

President Le Duc Anh and Mongolian President Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat signed a Joint Declaration in 1994. (Photo: VNA)

Cooperation between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the capital Ulan Bator has been well maintained in recent years, with the two sides maintaining exchanges of delegations of city leaders and affiliated associations, unions and organizations. In addition, the two sides have local cooperative relationships such as Tuv province and Hoa Binh province, Orkhon province and Dak Lak province, Chingeltei district of Ulan Bator and Thu Duc district (now city) of Ho Chi Minh City.

The Vietnamese Association in Mongolia was established on February 7, 2012 in Ulan Bator, with an Executive Committee of 13 members (mostly former Vietnamese students in Mongolia). The Association always plays the role of a bridge, gathering, uniting, and helping the Vietnamese community in Mongolia to feel secure in doing business and living, respecting local laws, and looking towards the homeland. Currently, there are about 600 Vietnamese people living in Mongolia.

In 2023, Vietnam and Mongolia signed a visa exemption agreement for holders of diplomatic, official and ordinary passports, contributing to promoting people-to-people exchanges, exploiting tourism potential, as well as promoting the culture and history of each country. According to Second Secretary of the Mongolian Embassy in Vietnam Galbaa Davkharbayar, in recent years, the number of Vietnamese tourists visiting Mongolia and Mongolian tourists visiting Vietnam has increased, each year is always higher than the previous year, but has not yet fully demonstrated the strengths and great tourism potential of both sides.

Signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of insurance and reinsurance between Hanoi Re Company of Vietnam and Amar Insurance Company of Mongolia, April 24, 2024. (Photo: Embassy of Vietnam in Mongolia)

At regional and multilateral forums, the two countries continue to cooperate closely, regularly help and support each other, notably activities at the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, the World Trade Organization (WTO), ASEAN (ARF), UNESCO, the Ulan Bator Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security, the Asia-Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), etc.

Over the past 70 years, the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Mongolia, based on the spirit of understanding and mutual assistance, has continuously developed and with the determination of the two countries' senior leaders, Vietnam and Mongolia will continue to achieve even more success.

Economically, Ireland is Vietnam's sixth largest trading partner in the EU market, with a total two-way trade turnover of 2.73 billion USD in the first 7 months of 2024. Ireland currently has 41 investment projects in Vietnam. In terms of investment fields, Irish investors invest the most in construction, manufacturing and processing industry, wholesale and retail, and auto and motorbike repair. In terms of investment locations, Irish investors have invested in 7/63 provinces and cities of Vietnam, including: Hanoi, Soc Trang, Thanh Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City, etc.

Vietnam is one of nine priority partner countries receiving Irish development assistance. From 2007 to 2020, Ireland has provided Vietnam with a total budget of over 180 million euros through the Ireland-Vietnam National Strategies for the period 2007-2010 worth 85.5 million euros; 2011-2015 worth 55 million euros and 2017-2020 worth 40 million euros, with the aim of supporting poverty reduction and vulnerable groups, and providing basic services to poor communes in Vietnam.

During his State visit to Vietnam on November 9-10, 2016, Irish President Michael D. Higgins and his wife visited Quang Tri province. (Photo: VNA)

Cooperation in education and training has also recorded many positive developments. On November 28, 2011, the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam and the Ministry of Education and Skills of Ireland signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in higher education. Over the years, Ireland has provided about 250 scholarships to Vietnam through: (i) The Irish Aid Full Scholarship Program, launched in 2009, for master's degrees in business administration, finance, economics, marketing, project management, and international business; (ii) The Irish Aid Technical Scholarship Program, launched in 2013, mainly for master's degrees in information technology, computer science, engineering, pharmacy, and applied languages, and since 2016, social sciences have been added.

The Vietnamese community in Ireland now has nearly 5,000 people, with strong development steps along with certain contributions and successes in the locality; as well as always looking towards the homeland and the country. In Ireland, there is also a network of intellectuals, affiliated with the Association of Vietnamese Intellectuals in the UK and Ireland, with Vietnamese professors, associate professors, senior lecturers, and postgraduates working and teaching at prestigious universities. These are important bridges, making practical contributions to the good relationship between the two countries.

During a recent reception for Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK and Ireland Do Minh Hung in Dublin, Ireland, Irish President Michael D. Higgins assessed that Vietnam and Ireland still have much potential to strengthen and develop cooperation in both bilateral relations and in international forums.

The Irish President also highly appreciated Vietnam's growing role and prestige in the region and the world, especially in maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in the region, as well as ASEAN's cohesion and central role on many important issues.

The Vietnam-France strategic partnership is developing positively. In terms of politics and diplomacy, the two countries regularly maintain contacts and exchange delegations. The two sides coordinate and support each other at international organizations such as the United Nations, ASEM, the Francophone Community, etc.

Economic and trade cooperation continues to be an important pillar in the relationship. France is currently one of Vietnam's leading trade partners, investors and ODA donors in the EU. Bilateral trade turnover increased by 42% over the past 10 years, reaching 2.96 billion USD in the first 7 months of 2024.

Cooperation in education and training between Vietnam and France has been established and developed since the early 1980s. France has always considered education and training as a priority in its cooperation activities in Vietnam, focusing mainly on teaching and developing French, training human resources at university and postgraduate levels in many fields such as economic management, banking, finance, law, new technology, etc. Every year, the French Government grants 80 scholarships to Vietnamese students to study in France, aiming to help Vietnam in the field of training high-quality human resources.

Initiated in the early 1990s, Vietnam-France local cooperation has become a unique feature in the relationship between the two countries. Currently, 38 French localities have partnerships with 18 provinces and cities of Vietnam. Cooperation projects focus on the fields of health, education, water and sanitation, heritage conservation, the Francophone community, rural development, sustainable development, etc.

Both are members of the International Organization of La Francophonie, and the two countries have many cooperative activities within the framework of the Francophone organization, especially in the fields of French language teaching, university teaching, parliamentary activities, etc.

The Vietnamese community in France has about 300,000 people, making it the largest Vietnamese community in Europe, making important contributions to deepening the Vietnam-France strategic partnership. The Vietnamese community in France has a long tradition and is closely attached to the country.

Vietnamese diplomatic agencies in France have also actively contributed to promoting cooperation and cultural exchange between the two countries, bringing French and Vietnamese cultures into harmony for common development. In particular, 2023 has left a strong impression with a series of exciting cultural events, from art exhibitions, traditional music performances to culinary weeks on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and 10 years of the Vietnam-France Strategic Partnership. The highlight of this exciting series of activities is the "Vietnamese Cultural Night" event, with brilliant colors and sounds, taking place in November 2023 at Le Trianon Theater, Paris.

At the 44th Ministerial Conference of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) held in Cameroon in November 2023, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang affirmed that Vietnam supports and highly appreciates the role of the Francophone in efforts and actions to work with member countries to find solutions to current crises and challenges, especially the situation of instability and poverty in Francophone African countries. Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang also supports the common effort to turn Francophone into a space of peace, stability, democracy, security, human rights protection and mutual prosperity.

Currently, with full and substantive participation in most priority issues of the Francophone community, from planning cooperation strategies to promoting administrative reforms, Vietnam is considered a core developing group, with an important voice in planning and implementing the Francophone community's cooperation strategies.

Vietnamese colors stand out at the Francophone Festival in France, 2022. (Photo: Nhandan.vn)

To date, Vietnam has had official trade exchanges with 44/54 official member countries of OIF, including 32 countries in the African region. By the end of June 2024, two-way import-export turnover between Vietnam and OIF member countries reached 16.8 billion USD, up 12.15% over the same period in 2023.

On the Francophone side, many countries consider Vietnam a symbol of the national liberation struggle in the past and today a successful example in poverty eradication, socio-economic development and international integration. These countries wish to exchange and share experiences in socio-economic development with Vietnam.

The State visit to Mongolia, Ireland, attendance at the 19th Francophone Summit and official visit to the French Republic by General Secretary, President To Lam and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation aims to continue implementing Vietnam's foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, diversification, proactiveness and activeness in comprehensive, deep and effective international integration. The visit affirms Vietnam's consistent policy of attaching importance to friendly relations with partners and traditional friends in both Asia and Europe, specifically Mongolia, Ireland and France. At the same time, the working trip emphasizes Vietnam's active and responsible contributions to the activities of the Francophone community in particular and the international community in general, thereby enhancing Vietnam's position and voice in the international arena.

Implementation director: Bich Hanh - Truong Son
Content: Minh Hang - Nguyen Ha - Doan Hieu
Presented by: Nha Nam
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, VNA

Nhandan.vn

Source: https://special.nhandan.vn/dau-an-viet-nam-tren-truong-quoc-te/