Realizing the Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Brazil

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the afternoon of November 17, 2024, local time (early morning of November 18, Hanoi time). (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

President Lula da Silva admires and has deep affection for Vietnam (self-proclaimed as belonging to the "Vietnam Generation"); is the first and only head of state of Brazil to date to officially visit Vietnam from July 9-10, 2008.

During his two previous terms as President, he focused on promoting cooperation with Vietnam in many fields such as economics, trade, science and technology, renewable energy, education and training; establishing a Comprehensive Partnership with Vietnam (2007) and upgrading the relationship to a Strategic Partnership (November 2024).

President Lula da Silva admires and has deep affection for Vietnam (self-proclaimed "Vietnam Generation")

President Lula da Silva received official visits from General Secretary Nong Duc Manh (May 2007), President Tran Duc Luong (November 2004); Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (September 2023); met bilaterally with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on the sidelines of the G20 in Brazil and issued a Joint Statement upgrading relations to a Strategic Partnership (November 2024).

According to the Brazilian President's website, President Lula da Silva's visit aims to identify joint actions and initiatives to realize the Strategic Partnership established by the two countries in November 2024.

Meanwhile, Brazilian Foreign Minister, Ambassador Mauro Vieira, commented that President Lula da Silva's upcoming state visit to Vietnam marks a new chapter in the Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

Strong and comprehensive relationship

Although Vietnam and Brazil are far apart, the people of the two countries have many similar characteristics such as sincerity, hospitality, friendship and openness.

On May 8, 1989, the two countries officially established diplomatic relations, opening a period of long-term and stable cooperation for bilateral relations.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Vietnam and Brazil have built a solid and comprehensive relationship on the basis of strategic trust and mutual understanding.

The two countries established a Comprehensive Partnership during the official visit to Brazil by General Secretary Nong Duc Manh (May 2007), contributing to deepening relations in all fields, through all channels of party diplomacy, state diplomacy, parliamentary diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy.

On November 17, 2024, within the framework of a working trip to Brazil to attend the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The two sides agreed to upgrade the Vietnam-Brazil relationship to a Strategic Partnership.

The political relationship between Vietnam and Brazil is increasingly close and trustworthy, demonstrated through the results of regular visits and contacts between senior leaders and ministries and sectors of the two countries.

Notably, there were official visits to Brazil by: President Le Duc Anh (October 1995); President Tran Duc Luong (November 2004); National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An (March 2006); General Secretary Nong Duc Manh (May 2007); Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with President Lula da Silva on the occasion of attending the expanded G7 Summit in Hiroshima (Japan) (May 2023); Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son met with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Conference in France (June 2023); Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made an official visit (September 2023).

On the morning of September 25, 2023 (local time), in the capital Brasilia, Brazilian President Lula da Silva hosted an official welcoming ceremony and held talks with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

Within the framework of his working trip to attend the 2024 G20 Summit in Brazil from November 16-19, 2024, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also had bilateral activities in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

On the Brazilian side, there were official visits to Vietnam by: President Lula da Silva (July 2008), becoming the first and only Brazilian head of state to ever visit Vietnam; Foreign Minister Antonio de Aguiar Patriota (July 2012); Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes Ferreira (September 2017; May 2018); Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Luciana Santos (November 2023); Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira (April 2024)...

The two countries maintain close cooperation at international organizations and multilateral forums, especially the United Nations and the World Trade Organization (WTO). In addition, the two sides also coordinate to promote cooperation between ASEAN and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR).

Huge room for economic and trade cooperation

As a founding member of BRICS, Brazil's economy is the largest in Latin America and the 10th largest in the world (2023), rich in natural resources, the second largest agricultural producer in the world, and the third largest mineral exporter in the world.

Brazil is currently Vietnam's leading trade partner in Latin America. In recent years, bilateral trade relations between Vietnam and Brazil have increased rapidly, from 1.53 billion USD in 2011 to 6.78 billion USD in 2022; more than 7.1 billion USD in 2023 and 7.7 billion USD in 2024. The two countries strive to increase bilateral turnover to 10 billion USD in 2025 and 15 billion USD in 2030.

Vietnam mainly exports seafood, rubber, textiles, footwear, iron and steel to Brazil; and imports from Brazil soybeans, wheat, corn, animal feed and raw materials, cotton of all kinds...

Vietnam and Brazil strive to increase bilateral trade turnover to 10 billion USD by 2025 and 15 billion USD by 2030.

Regarding investment, as of October 2024, Brazil has 7 investment projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital of 3.85 million USD, mainly in the fields of manufacturing and processing industry, wholesale and retail, and scientific and technological professional activities.

According to Minister Mauro Vieira, Brazil highly values the economic partnership with Vietnam, demonstrated through its commitment to expanding bilateral trade.

Under the administration of President Lula da Silva, Brazil is implementing policies to reindustrialize the economy, increase industrial competitiveness, and protect high-quality jobs. These efforts also prioritize investment in innovation and sustainable solutions. Brazil is incorporating this perspective into all current trade negotiations.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the Vietnam-Brazil Business Forum on the afternoon of November 17, 2024, local time (morning of November 18, 2024, Hanoi time). (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

Speaking at the Vietnam-Brazil Business Forum held on the afternoon of November 17, 2024 local time, in Rio de Janeiro city, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that the conditions and space for cooperation and development of businesses of the two countries are very large, but economic cooperation is not yet commensurate with the space, conditions for cooperation and the wishes of the two sides; the room for cooperation and development is very large.

The Prime Minister called on Vietnamese enterprises to invest in Brazil and Brazilian enterprises to invest more in Vietnam, promote bilateral trade; especially agricultural cooperation, ensure food security; renew traditional growth drivers and promote new growth drivers, cooperate with Vietnam in exploiting new development spaces such as outer space, sea space, underground space.

The Prime Minister said that Vietnam aims to selectively attract investment in high-tech projects with high added value, spillover effects, and connections with domestic enterprises; prioritizing projects in the sectors and fields of science and technology, innovation, research and development, green economy, digital economy, circular economy, knowledge economy, semiconductor manufacturing, new energy (hydrogen), renewable energy, green finance, financial centers, biotechnology, healthcare, etc.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Brazilian President Lula da Silva witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on agricultural cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock on the morning of September 25, 2023 (local time) in the capital Brasilia. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

The Prime Minister said that the two sides need to promote the early launch of FTA negotiations with MERCOSUR, an agreement on investment promotion and protection, an agreement on visas, and Brazil should consider recognizing Vietnam's market economy status.

The Prime Minister asked businesses to support the above efforts to create an open and favorable investment environment, maximizing the unique potential, outstanding opportunities, and competitive advantages of each country.

Cooperation against climate change, promoting new initiatives

The 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 30) will be held in Belém (Brazil) in November this year.

In the Vietnam-Brazil Joint Statement on upgrading relations to a Strategic Partnership in November 2024, based on the recognition that climate change is a major challenge for humanity, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva pledged to continue cooperation within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomed Brazil's decision to host COP 30 and pledged to support the Conference's success.

COP30 will take place in Brazil. (Source: OConverente)

Recognizing the urgency of a just energy transition that meets the needs of developing countries, the two leaders highlighted the important role of biofuels in decarbonizing the transport sector.

The two sides agreed to maintain dialogue in the fields of bioenergy and renewable energy and other initiatives to reduce inequality within and between countries.

The Brazilian government assessed that upgrading diplomatic relations with Vietnam to the level of Strategic Partnership helps deepen political dialogue; enhance economic cooperation; increase trade and investment flows; enhance coordination on issues in the multilateral agenda and promote new cooperation initiatives./.