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Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Roman Golovchenko.
This is Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko's first official visit to Vietnam since his appointment in 2020 and also the first visit to Vietnam by a Belarusian head of government in the past 12 years. This event is an important milestone in the good traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Belarus, outlining a new vision for bilateral relations for peace, stability and development.
Located in Eastern Europe, Belarus advocates expanding and diversifying its foreign economic activities to Asia and Latin America, as well as continuing to attract investment from Europe. Belarus's economic and trade policy focuses on developing towards market opening, integrating into the world economy, diversifying relations, and seeking new markets. Regarding foreign policy, Belarus attaches importance to foreign relations with the Asia-Pacific region, including relations with Vietnam.
Vietnam and Belarus inherit the traditional friendship and good multifaceted cooperation that existed between Vietnam and the Soviet Union (formerly).
During the years when Vietnam fought for national independence and unification, Soviet experts, including Belarusian experts, came to help and share difficulties with Vietnam. Hundreds of Vietnamese students and researchers studied in Belarus. The people of both countries love peace, are hard-working, have a strong will to succeed, and are hospitable.
Over the past 30 years since Vietnam and Belarus officially established diplomatic relations in 1992, relations between the two countries have recorded many positive developments, with increasing mutual trust. Belarus has always affirmed its importance to relations with Vietnam, considering Vietnam a development model when it overcame the embargo period to have a rapidly growing economy and an independent and autonomous foreign policy as it is today. The two sides maintain regular delegation exchanges and contacts at all levels, especially at high levels; coordinate and support each other at international and regional forums, especially at the United Nations. In 2022, the two countries will celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
The achievements in economic, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and Belarus reflect the tireless efforts of the Governments, businesses and people of the two countries over the past years. Vietnam and Belarus have held 15 meetings of the Intergovernmental Committee on Economic-Trade and Scientific-Technological Cooperation. The two sides are also actively implementing the Vietnam-Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Free Trade Agreement, of which Belarus is a member.
The economies of Vietnam and Belarus have many complementary strengths. Vietnam exports to Belarus seafood, natural rubber, wooden furniture, textiles, footwear, rice, cashew nuts, peanuts, pepper, spices, tea, canned vegetables, pharmaceuticals, computers, etc.; imports milk and dairy products, fertilizers, machinery, equipment, auto parts, tractors, trucks, chemicals, etc. According to the General Department of Customs, trade turnover between Vietnam and Belarus in 2022 reached 113.9 million USD, in the first nine months of 2023 it reached 46.42 million USD. Belarus currently has three investment projects in Vietnam with a total investment capital of 32.25 million USD, of which the most typical is the MAZ Asia automobile assembly project in Hung Yen province.
Cooperation between Vietnam and Belarus in other fields has also been constantly strengthened and developed, contributing positively to the stable and sustainable development of each country. Scientific and technological organizations of the two countries have cooperated closely, many projects have been implemented and achieved good results. The Vietnam-Belarus Science and Technology Cooperation Committee has held 11 meetings. Security and defense cooperation is maintained through delegation exchanges and activities of the Intergovernmental Joint Committee on Military Technical Cooperation.
In the field of culture and tourism, the two countries have organized Belarusian Cultural Days in Vietnam (in 2014, 2017, 2023) and Vietnamese Cultural Days in Belarus (in 2015, 2018). The number of Belarusian tourists to Vietnam increased rapidly after Vietnam exempted visas for Belarusian citizens, reaching more than 12,000 visitors in 2019. Cultural and tourism exchange activities are a bridge to help people of the two countries get closer, despite geographical distance and language differences. The Vietnamese community in Belarus has about 600 people, and the local government has shown great sympathy and created favorable conditions for them to reside, work and study.
This official visit to Vietnam by Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko has significantly contributed to promoting the effective and in-depth relations between Vietnam and Belarus, especially in politics, diplomacy, trade, investment, agriculture, security-defense, tourism, culture, education-training; expanding cooperation in potential areas such as transportation, science, technology, etc. The visit also affirms Belarus's policy of attaching importance to and wishing to promote relations with Vietnam, while demonstrating Vietnam's respect for relations with Belarus in particular and traditional friends of the Soviet Union in general.
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