(Chinhphu.vn) - Vietnam and the EU have upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reflecting the long-term vision of both Vietnam and the EU in the new era.
Following the official welcoming ceremony on the morning of January 29th, President Luong Cuong and President of the European Council Antonio Costa held talks at the Presidential Palace and spoke to the press afterward.
During the talks, on behalf of the State and people of Vietnam, President Luong Cuong warmly welcomed the President of the European Council Antonio Costa on his official visit to Vietnam; he highly appreciated the historical significance of this first visit to Vietnam by a President of the European Council since 2012, and also the first European leader to visit Vietnam after the successful conclusion of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
The President affirmed that the visit opened a new chapter in Vietnam-European Union (EU) relations with the two sides deciding to upgrade the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Highly appreciating the role and position of the EU as a leading global political, economic, scientific-technological, and cultural center, the President affirmed that Vietnam always considers the EU one of its top important partners in its foreign policy; affirming Vietnam's desire to develop deep and comprehensive relations with the EU, and to continuously strengthen friendly relations and cooperation with EU member states. The President highly appreciated the EU's role in promoting multilateralism and the rule of international law for the goal of peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.
In informing the President of the European Council about the main results of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the President emphasized Vietnam's two strategic goals for the next 100 years: to become a developing country with modern industry and high middle income by 2030, and to become a developed country with high income by 2045. He highlighted Vietnam's determination to build a new growth model based on science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, and green transformation as a key priority. The President affirmed Vietnam's readiness to continue working alongside the EU in this new era of development.
Based on that, President Luong Cuong proposed that the two sides closely coordinate in implementing the content of the Joint Declaration on upgrading Vietnam-EU relations, with six key orientations, including strengthening political trust through delegation exchanges and high-level contacts, effectively implementing existing cooperation mechanisms, expanding new cooperation mechanisms, identifying economic cooperation as a continued important driving force for bilateral relations, making science, technology and innovation a true pillar of bilateral cooperation, and promoting respect for international law and multilateralism. The President requested the EU to promote maritime economic cooperation, support Vietnam in building a sustainable fisheries sector, and promptly lift the IUU "Yellow Card" against Vietnamese seafood. The President affirmed Vietnam's support for promoting ASEAN-EU relations and its readiness to act as a bridge to further promote more substantive relations between the two sides, towards the 50th anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN-EU relations in 2027.
Expressing his honor as the first European guest to visit Vietnam immediately after the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, a moment of great significance in shaping Vietnam's future, President of the European Council Antonio Costa thanked the Vietnamese State and President Luong Cuong for their warm and cordial welcome; warmly congratulated the success of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam; and expressed his deep impression of the great and comprehensive socio-economic development achievements that Vietnam has attained after 40 years of Doi Moi (Renovation).
Congratulating Vietnam on its increasingly prominent role, position, and international prestige, the President of the European Council affirmed that the EU considers Vietnam an important partner in the ASEAN region and in the Indo-Pacific Strategy, a partner that shares common ground with the EU on respect for international law, support for free trade, and freedom of navigation. President Antonio Costa affirmed that his visit was a historic moment with the two sides upgrading their relationship to a new level, with Vietnam being the EU's first comprehensive strategic partner in ASEAN, demonstrating not only the 35-year journey but also the closeness and shared vision in the context of today's unpredictable world.
The President of the European Council stated that both sides have great potential for cooperation in the fields of trade, sustainable development, innovation, maritime economy, governance, security, and people-to-people exchanges. He expressed his desire to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in traditional areas such as trade and investment, agriculture, sustainable development, and climate change response, while also expanding cooperation into new areas such as green transition, digital transformation, just energy transition, infrastructure, and transport connectivity, commensurate with the level of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, becoming a model of cooperation between the EU and a Southeast Asian country.
The two leaders officially announced the upgrading of Vietnam-EU relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership after 35 years of diplomatic relations; they also agreed on the direction for developing an action plan to effectively implement the Joint Declaration on the Vietnam-EU Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the coming period.
The two leaders agreed to promote cooperation in science, technology, and innovation, making this a new pillar of cooperation in bilateral relations; especially in areas where Europe has strengths in science, digital transformation, and connectivity; to promote the full and effective implementation of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and to expedite the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) to benefit businesses on both sides, especially by promoting high-quality EU capital flows into Vietnam; to maintain the effectiveness of the Vietnam-EU Defence and Security Dialogue mechanism; to promote cooperation in United Nations peacekeeping operations, while expanding cooperation in maritime security, cybersecurity, and crisis management. Both sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation on environmental protection and climate change response, green economy, circular economy, marine economy, clean energy, etc.
Discussing regional and international issues of common concern, both sides agreed to strengthen coordination in responding to global challenges, promoting multilateralism, respecting international law, and peacefully resolving disputes on the basis of the United Nations Charter. They also emphasized the importance of maintaining peace, stability, freedom of navigation, freedom of overflight, and the rule of law in the seas and oceans, including the South China Sea, as well as in the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
Nguyen Duc