Mexico City (VNA) – Newly-appointed Vietnamese Ambassador to Mexico Nguyen Van Hai paid a courtesy call to President of the Mexican Senate Gerardo Fernandez Noroña on October 15.

Noroña congratulated Hai on his appointment and praised Vietnam's significant socio-economic achievements in recent years, particularly its robust recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The President of the Mexican Senate said as the two countries share many similarities in their previous struggles for national independence, both Mexico and Vietnam recognise the importance of and respect for the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity and the right to self-determination of each nation.

He held that that Vietnam is not only a nation that has triumphed over powerful empires but has also risen from the ashes of war to become a developing economy with a prominent global standing.

Looking ahead to the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year, Noroña announced that the Mexican Senate will organise a "Vietnam Week" at its headquarters, featuring various activities to promote Vietnam’s image and enhance the relationship between the two countries.

For his part, the ambassador affirmed that throughout its journey toward independence and national development, Vietnam has received invaluable assistance from the international community, including its friends in Mexico. He noted that Mexico was one of the first Latin American countries to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam, shortly after the nation's victory in its fight for independence and reunification. At that time, Mexico provided a shipment worth 1 million USD to help Vietnam recover from war and rebuild.

Highlighting Mexico's role as a key partner for Vietnam in Latin America, Hai underlined the growing relationship between the two countries across various fields, including politics, economics, and cultural diplomacy as well as their mutual support in international forums such as the United Nations (UN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and multilateral parliamentary forums.

Regarding bilateral trade, the ambassador noted that Mexico is currently Vietnam's second-largest trading partner in Latin America, while the latter ranks as the former's second-largest trading partner within the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN). The volume of the two-way trade is steadily increasing, especially as both countries are members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Hai 𒁃proposed that the two countries should upgrade their Comprehensive Partnership framework by 2025, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. He also expressed his hope for the enhanced coordination of lawmakers from both nations in refining legal frameworks that contribute to strengthening Vietnam-Mexico ties./.