52nd anniversary of Vietnam – Chile diplomatic ties celebrated in Hanoi

The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) organized a ceremony in Hanoi on March 25 to mark 52 years of the diplomatic relationship between Vietnam and Chile.

In her opening speech, VUFO President, Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, highlighted major milestones in the Vietnam – Chile relations, and expressed her belief in the bright prospects of bilateral ties in the future.

The VUFO and the Vietnam-Chile Friendship and Cooperation Association will coordinate closely with the embassies of the two countries and their Chilean partners to organize exchange and cooperation activities to enhance mutual understanding and promote cooperation in all fields between the two countries, she said.

Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc told the event that the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries on March 25, 1972, opened up a new chapter for the bilateral relations.

He stressed that over the past 52 years, the two sides have recorded many important cooperation achievements, including establishing the Comprehensive Partnership in 2007, signing the Bilateral Free Trade Agreement in 2011, initiating cooperation mechanisms, and together joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in 2018. The two countries have regularly conducted many visits to build up trust and deepen bilateral relationship.

Two-way trade between Vietnam and Chile has grown considerably, reaching 2.15 billion USD in 2022 alone, up 9% year on year. Cooperation agreements in various fields have been effectively implemented, bringing about practical benefits for the two countries.

In addition, the two sides have closely coordinated and supported each other at international organisations and multilateral forums.

Vietnam is looking forward to welcoming Chilean President Gabriel Boric in his upcoming visit to Hanoi which is expected to further deepen the Vietnam-Chile relations, Ngoc said.

Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet stated that bilateral cooperation has been promoted in many fields and there is still room for further development. She expressed her hope that the relationship between Vietnam and Chile would develop not only between the two countries’ governments and legislatures, but also between their localities and people.