Vietnam, Portugal celebrate 50 years of diplomatic ties, eye stronger future cooperation
Throughout the past five decades, Vietnam has attached importance to its comprehensive and cooperative partnership with the European Union and its member states, including Portugal. In turn, Portugal considers Vietnam a key market in Southeast Asia.
PM Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Portuguese Foreign Minister Joao Gomes Cravinho (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Since establishing diplomatic relations on July 1, 1975, Vietnam and Portugal have cultivated a deepening bond, marked by political goodwill, expanding economic ties, and vibrant people-to-people exchanges.
Half a century of friendship and progress
Over the past half-century, their partnership has evolved into a multifaceted relationship, with both nations eyeing new opportunities for collaboration. Vietnam has prioritised its comprehensive partnership with the European Union, including Portugal, which views Vietnam as a vital market in Southeast Asia.
High-level visits have solidified political ties, with the most recent on June 9 at the third United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France. There, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Portuguese counterpart Luis Montenegro pledged to boost economic and trade links, urging their business communities to explore mutually beneficial opportunities in shipbuilding, maritime transport, energy, and agriculture.
PM Chinh pushed for a new cooperation agreement, alongside expanded collaboration in national defence, security, culture, education, tourism, sports and people-to-people exchanges. He also sought Portugal’s support in the early ratification of the EU–Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) by the European Parliament and the removal of the EU’s "yellow card" warning on Vietnamese seafood exports.
He also announced Vietnam’s intention to open an embassy in Portugal soon, a move welcomed by PM Montenegro, who expressed Portugal's readiness to facilitate this process and voiced hope for a reciprocal Portuguese diplomatic presence in Vietnam.
On the multilateral front, both countries are working closely together at international and regional forums, including the United Nations, the Asia–Europe Meeting (ASEM), and EU–ASEAN frameworks.
Economic, trade ties gain momentum
Processing ocean tuna for export (Photo: VNA)
Two-way trade has seen steady growth, hitting 668.8 million USD in 2023 and climbing to 705 million USD in 2024. Both sides are aiming for 1 billion USD in the near future, fueled by marine economy, maritime services, renewable energy, infrastructure, apparel, footwear, trade, and tourism.
The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), effective since August 2020, has been a catalyst, with Portugal among the early ratifiers of the EVIPA in April 2023. However, direct investment from Portugal in Vietnam remains limited, with only two projects worth 90,000 USD as of January 5, placing Portugal 137th among 149 countries investing in Vietnam.
Cultural and educational exchanges have flourished. Since 2014, Portugal has supported Portuguese language education at Hanoi University by providing lecturers.
Locality-to-locality partnerships, such as between Ho Chi Minh City and Porto, and Dong Nai province and Vila Nova de Gaia, have also been a bright spot.
In June, the Portugal-Vietnam Friendship Association was established in Porto, uniting about 50 supporters, including lawyers, academics, and municipal officials. It has fostered twinning agreements, university collaborations, and activities driving trade, investment, sports, and culture.
The small Vietnamese community in Portugal, estimated at 200 people, remains an active force in nurturing friendship and all-around cooperation./.
President of the Portugal–Vietnam Friendship Association José Pedro Vieira stated that the association aims to foster mutual understanding, connection, and cooperation between the people of Portugal and Vietnam.
Vietnamese State, Government and National Assembly (NA) leaders on June 10 extended their congratulations to their Portuguese counterparts on the occasion of the National Day of Portugal.
Portugal always treasures bilateral ties and cooperation with Vietnam at multilateral forum, President of the Assembly of Portugal Augusto Santos Silva told visitng Standing Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Tran Thanh Man during their meeting in Lisbon on November 14.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1973, the bilateral relationship has continuously developed in a solid, substantive, and effective manner across various fields, including politics, diplomacy, trade, investment, development cooperation, education and training, and people-to-people exchange.
On the East Sea issue, Vietnam’s consistent stance is to persistently strive to solve all disputes and disagreements by peaceful means based on international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, and international and regional commitments such as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC); and support the prompt conclusion of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
Vietnamese Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang suggested continued promotion of joint work in defence industry, training, and United Nations peacekeeping operations, while exploring new fields like war legacy resolution, maritime security, military medicine, military sports and culture, and service arms cooperation.
Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc has called on all countries to jointly take action to revitalise multilateralism, promote active multilateralism, and work together to restore disruptions in international cooperation on development, trade, and investment.
The diplomat concluded that with the solid foundation and achievements of the past 50 years, and the strong political will of the two governments and the people, Vietnam–Portugal relations are set to expand and deepen, rising to a new height that reflects the true potential, shared values, and mutual aspirations of the two nations
The project to renovate, upgrade, and expand the monument site was a gift from the Vietnamese task force to its Lao counterpart, with a total value of 54 billion VND (2.06 million USD). The Lao side served as project investor, while the construction was undertaken by Company 206 of Military Zone 5 under the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence.
Xuan suggested Lombardy establish partnerships with several Vietnamese localities and economic centres, and expressed her confidence that the new direct flight between Hanoi and Milan - the capital of Lombardy - will help strengthen cooperation between the two regions, cultures, and peoples.
NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man urged the localities in Can Tho to leverage their respective strengths and support one another in building a more diverse, flexible, and sustainable economic structure to drive socio-economic development and improve the material and spiritual well-being of locals.
Vietnam wishes to further promote and enhance cooperation with Egypt in a more substantive and effective manner, serving the interests of the two countries' people, contributing to regional stability and development, and matching the strong bilateral political relationship.
The restructuring of the organisational apparatus and administrative units is a major policy of strategic significance, the Party chief stressed, saying that it demonstrates the Party and State’s strong political commitment to building a streamlined, efficient, and people-oriented administration.
Culture is a big and complex issue, forming a foundational component alongside Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought in shaping Vietnam’s socialist path, said PM Pham Minh Chinh.
The Vietnam–Australia Friendship Association elected a 40-member Executive Board for the 2025-2030 term, with Prof. Dr. Tran Tho Dat, Chairman of the Science and Training Council at the National Economics University, named President.
The celebration of the 110th birth anniversary of late Party General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh, Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan's meetings with Italian leaders and Pope Leo XIV, and the issuance of Level-2 electronic identification (e-ID) accounts for foreign residents are among news highlights on July 1.
Speaking at the event, Party General Secretary To Lam highlighted late General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh’s contributions to the national development by launching reform policies.
The two sides committed to expanding cultural exchanges, tourism promotion, science and technology collaboration, education and training, and people-to-people diplomacy. They also voiced support for stronger Vietnam–EU ties within EVFTA and EU Indo-Pacific initiatives.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez welcomed Vietnam’s participation in the FfD4 and reaffirmed Spain’s strong commitment to fostering its partnership with Vietnam, identifying the Southeast Asian country as one of its priority partners in the region.
