Attending the G20 Summit affirms Vietnam's position and prestige in the international arena.
Báo Tin Tức•15/11/2024
At the invitation of the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, G20 Chair in 2024, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his wife, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife will lead a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to attend the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from November 16-19, 2024.
On this occasion, Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil Bui Van Nghi gave an interview to VNA reporters in Latin America. The following is the content of the interview.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil, Bui Van Nghi, gives an interview to VNA reporters. Photo: Dieu Huong/VNA
Dear Ambassador, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's participation in the G20 is a testament to Vietnam's growing role, position and prestige in the international arena. How do you assess Vietnam's contributions to multilateral mechanisms when Vietnam has been regularly invited to attend G20 conferences in recent years? At the invitation of Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will lead a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to attend the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With the theme "Building a fair world and a sustainable planet", the G20 Summit will focus on discussing three main issues: the fight against poverty and inequality; three aspects of sustainable development (economic, social and environmental) and global governance reform. Vietnam's acceptance of the invitation to attend the G20 Summit this time shows that the issues discussed are consistent with the goals that Vietnam is committed to implementing. This not only affirms Vietnam's increasingly enhanced role and position in the international and regional arenas, but also creates opportunities to promote trade, investment and cooperation with member countries. Vietnam's frequent invitation to attend G20 conferences in recent years reflects Vietnam's important contributions to multilateral mechanisms, as well as demonstrates Vietnam's capacity and responsibility for global issues, specifically: First, with its active role in international cooperation, Vietnam has demonstrated its strong commitment to multilateral cooperation, contributing to global discussions on sustainable development, security, and climate change. Vietnam's participation in the G20 shows its growing position in the international arena. Second, sharing development experiences, one of the issues discussed is the fight against poverty and sustainable development. Once among the poor countries, Vietnam has risen to become one of the fastest growing economies. During the period from 1989 to 2023, Vietnam's per capita GDP increased 40 times. If in 1993, the poverty rate in Vietnam was more than 58%, by 2021, this figure was 2.23%. Per capita income in 1993 reached 185 USD, by the end of 2023, this figure was 4,284 USD. With outstanding achievements in economic development and poverty reduction, Vietnam can share valuable experiences in development policies and economic management, contributing to finding solutions to common problems. Third, representing developing countries in contributing to global issues, Vietnam can play a bridging role between developed and developing countries, presenting the views and needs of these countries on global issues. With the motto of proactively and actively integrating into the world, being a reliable and responsible partner, based on the theme and agenda of the conference, Vietnam will coordinate with countries to promote issues of common international concern such as strengthening partnerships, supporting developing countries in implementing sustainable development goals according to the United Nations 2030 Agenda; enhancing cooperation to consolidate a peaceful and stable environment in the region and the world on the basis of compliance with international law. In 2024, Vietnam and Brazil will celebrate the 35th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries. How significant is Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's working trip in promoting the comprehensive partnership between the two countries? Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will attend the G20 Summit at the invitation of Brazilian President Lula da Silva, and participate in cultural diplomacy activities to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Brazil (May 8, 1989 - May 8, 2024). The working trip will not only help celebrate this milestone more practically but also contribute to further strengthening the Vietnam-Brazil Comprehensive Partnership, orienting the promotion of bilateral cooperation to a new height in the coming time. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's working trip to Brazil this time demonstrates the consolidation of political relations between Vietnam and Brazil, helping to enhance trust and mutual understanding between the two governments. This creates favorable conditions for coordination on international and regional issues. Evidence of the determination to implement the commitments in the Joint Communique between the two countries during the official visit of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to Brazil in September 2023 is that Brazil has made two ministerial visits to Vietnam. During the visit of Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Luciana Santos (November 2023), the two sides emphasized the possibility of enhancing cooperation in potential areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation, semiconductor industry and biotechnology. Meanwhile, the visit of Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira (April 2024) concretized the commitments of the leaders of the two countries in the Joint Communique, discussed measures to promote multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam, and officially delivered a letter from Brazilian President Lula da Silva inviting Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to attend the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro this time. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's working trip to Brazil not only has an impact on political relations but also creates opportunities for the establishment and development of closer cooperative relations between the two countries, especially in areas of mutual strength and interest such as agriculture, science and technology, energy conversion, bioenergy, in line with the issues discussed at the G20 Summit. In addition, this is also an opportunity to strengthen cooperation in other areas where both sides have needs and strengths such as Halal food production, culture, sports-football training, tourism, education and training, security-defense, and people-to-people exchange. Attending the G20 Summit in the context of the two countries celebrating the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations also demonstrates the recognition and appreciation of Brazil's proactive role in regional and global issues. This is also an opportunity for Vietnam to contribute to common discussions, enhance bilateral exchanges with other countries, thereby strengthening Vietnam's position in the global context. Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1989, Vietnam and Brazil have built a solid and comprehensive relationship on the basis of strategic trust and mutual understanding. The Comprehensive Partnership between Vietnam and Brazil established in 2007 has contributed to deepening relations in all fields, in all channels of party diplomacy, state diplomacy, parliamentary diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy. The friendship and cooperation between the two countries have been increasingly strengthened through the mutual complementarity of the two economies, the similarity of interests and the deep connection between the two peoples. The Vietnam-Brazil relationship is currently developing stronger than ever. The Prime Minister's participation in the G20 Summit this time demonstrates Vietnam's strong support for Brazil, and is a testament to the political determination of the leaders of Vietnam and Brazil to soon bring the relationship between the two countries to a new height. Brazil is Vietnam's largest trading partner in Latin America, so strengthening cooperation with Brazil in particular and countries in the region in general, especially countries in the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), will play an extremely important role in promoting the launch of negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and this bloc. How does the Ambassador assess the prospects for FTA negotiations between Vietnam and Mercosur?
For Vietnam, Brazil is the number 1 important partner in the South American region. With the 5th largest geographical location in the world and a population of nearly 213 million people, Brazil is truly a potential market for Vietnamese enterprises. On the other hand, Brazil is the gateway for Vietnam to enter the Latin American markets, and conversely, Vietnam is the door for Brazilian enterprises to penetrate the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) market and other Asian countries. Mercosur is a dynamic, competitive and developing economic and industrial region, with increasing influence as the 5th largest economic bloc in the world, one of the leading production regions for food, raw materials and energy. In addition, Mercosur is a potential market, with nearly 300 million consumers, with a total GDP of 4,580 billion USD, accounting for 82.3% of the region's GDP and about 70% of the South American population. This is a very potential market for Vietnam's export products such as garments, footwear, handicrafts, processed foods, etc. The signing of the FTA between Vietnam and Mercosur will create a breakthrough in economic, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and Brazil, bringing real results to businesses and people of the two countries. Brazil can become a bridge to help Vietnam access the markets of Latin American countries as well as Mercosur. Meanwhile, Vietnam will become a bridge to help Brazil access the large ASEAN market with more than 650 million people and a larger market with 800 million people of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The negotiation of the Vietnam - Mercosur FTA is expected to make this Agreement a driving force to exploit the Latin American export market for Vietnamese goods. The signing of the Vietnam-Mercosur FTA brings many opportunities and benefits to Vietnam, from expanding export markets, attracting investment to strengthening cooperation in many different fields. This not only contributes to Vietnam's economic development but also enhances Vietnam's position in the context of increasingly deep international integration. Vietnam hopes that Brazil will promote the early launch of negotiations on the Vietnam-Mercosur FTA. The two countries will be effective bridges for each other in cooperation with ASEAN and Mercosur as well as between these two blocs and other regional organizations. Thank you very much, Ambassador!
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