Brazilian President Lula Visits Vietnam To Strengthen Strategic Ties – OpEd

The Vietnamese Party and State value Brazil as a key partner in Vietnam’s broader foreign policy toward Latin America, and wish to deepen the newly-established Strategic Partnership between the two nations, said Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) General Secretary To Lam, the Nhan Dan newspaper reported.

During a reception in Hanoi on March 28 for Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who visited Vietnam from March 27-29, the Party chief congratulated the Brazilian Government and people on their remarkable achievements under the leadership of President Lula da Silva and the Workers’ Party of Brazil (PT).

He shared Vietnam’s vision and development direction for the coming years, highlighting the shift toward a sustainable and innovation-driven growth model. Key priorities include enhancing economic competitiveness, resilience, and self-reliance; advancing sci-tech, training a skilled workforce, building a modern and integrated socio-economic infrastructure system; and conducting a revolution to streamline its political system toward creating a lean, efficient, valid and effective structure.

The host praised the outcomes of the talks between President Lula da Silva and President Luong Cuong, which culminated in the signing of the Action Plan for the Vietnam-Brazil Strategic Partnership for 2025-2030, alongside agreements spanning diplomacy, security, industry-trade, and cooperation between the two national football federations.

Their discussions explored new opportunities to further foster bilateral ties and leverage each country’s strength and potential. The Party chief underlined the vast opportunities for collaboration in economy-trade, agriculture, energy, and national defence, while emphasising the importance of cultural, educational, and sports exchanges to deepen mutual understanding and friendship.

According to the Vietnam News newspaper, the potential for cooperation and development between Việtnam and Brazil remains vast, as both economies complement each other.

With advantages in population and consumer demand, the two nations are set to continue their efforts towards achieving a trade turnover of US$15 billion by 2030.

President Cường expressed his pleasure in welcoming his Brazilian counterpart, a close friend of Việt Nam, at such a meaningful time, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Việtnam’s Reunification Day (April 30) and the 80th National Day (Sept. 2) celebrations.

Cường said the official talks were held in a warm, open and trustful atmosphere, yielding positive results.

Economic and trade cooperation remains a key pillar of the relationship, with bilateral trade reaching approximately $8 billion in 2024.

On the multilateral front, Cường said the two countries continue to closely coordinate, cooperate and support each other in international forums and organisations.

The two also discussed global and regional issues of mutual concern and reaffirmed their stance in favour of resolving disputes peacefully, based on respect for international law, particularly the United Nations Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Cường also highlighted the agreement to further expand cooperation and exchange experiences in areas that could complement each other, such as high technology, green development, digital transformation, renewable energy and innovation.

Both sides agreed to continue discussions on cooperation agreements covering judicial assistance, investment protection, technical cooperation and visa facilitation, among others, to further strengthen the Strategic Partnership between the two nations.

President Cường said Việtnam will actively consider the concerns raised by the Brazilian Government and businesses, including the opening of the Vietnamese market to Brazilian beef products and potential cooperation in other sectors such as energy, science and technology, the environment, national defence and security.

Lula also said that opening the Vietnamese market to Brazilian beef will encourage Brazilian meat processors to invest in Việtnam, turning the country into a hub for exports to Southeast Asia. Furthermore, Brazil aims to increase exports of higher-value-added products, including aircraft.

According to the Brazilian president, during Brazil’s tenure as the Chair of MERCOSUR from July onwards, the country will push for a balanced agreement with Việtnam that benefits both sides.

Additionally, the two sides are exploring potential partnerships in areas such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, digital technology, biotechnology and renewable energy.

He also conveyed an invitation to President Cường for Việtnam to participate in two important international events that Brazil will host later this year, consisting of the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro and the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) in Belém.

Pointing out that both Việtnam and Brazil are among the world’s largest coffee producers and that both have experienced recent harvests impacted by climate change, he reaffirmed their determination to expand technical cooperation to enhance the resilience of coffee plants against the effects.

According to the Vietnam Plus newspaper, Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a meeting on March 28 with visiting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who reaffirmed that his country always treasures the Strategic Partnership with Vietnam.

Welcoming President Lula da Silva, PM Chinh recalled his meetings with the Brazilian leader, including the one during his official visit to Brazil in September 2023 and the bilateral talks in Rio de Janeiro last November, when the two countries issued a statement on elevating bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.

Both host and guest agreed to continue promoting and realising the Strategic Partnership framework to bring cooperation in all spheres to a new height, leveraging the potential and meeting development demand of the two countries.

They particularly applauded the freshly signed action plan for implementing the Vietnam – Brazil Strategic Partnership, pledging to keep close coordination to carry out the orientations and measures already agreed upon to implement the new relationship framework for the 2025–2030 period in a productive and substantive manner.

The two sides agreed to increase sharing experience in national governance and socio-economic policy implementation, and foster scientific – technological cooperation, especially in fundamental industries like manufacturing, supporting industry, farm produce processing, new material, chemical, and renewable energy, thus helping with both countries’ efforts towards the green and sustainable development goal.

PM Chinh, according to the Vietnam Plus, thanked President Lula da Silva and the Brazilian Government for recognising Vietnam’s market economy status, which will facilitate the access of their countries’ businesses to each other’s markets in a fair and mutually beneficial manner.

Vietnam is ready to take steps to open its market to Brazilian beef as part of the two sides’ to-be-reached agreement to open their agricultural product markets, he went on.

He also welcomed large Brazilian businesses’ consideration of investments in Vietnam, including the JBS S.A. group’s intention to invest in the food processing industry.

Meanwhile, President Lula da Silva said he will order Brazilian authorities to actively consider Vietnam’s proposal to soon activate negotiations on a trade agreement between Vietnam and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) in order to create favourable conditions for the two sides’ businesses to access each other’s markets and connect in supply chains, generating tangible benefits for both countries’ businesses and people.