Vietnam, Chile mark 50 years of bilateral diplomacy in Santiago

Addressing the function, Chilean Foreign Minister Andres Allamand praised Vietnamese people’s heroic and resilient spirit in the past struggles for national independence, as well as the recent achievements Vietnam has recorded in economic development, epidemic prevention and external relations.

He noted the friendship and cooperative relations between the two countries have increasingly thrived over the years, especially after Chile and Vietnam signed a free trade agreement (FTA) in 2011, making Vietnam become an important partner of Chile in Southeast Asia.

The March 24 phone call between Chilean President Sebastian Piñera and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the occasion of 50 years of the Chile-Vietnam diplomacy was a testament to the friendship between the two countries, affirmed Minister Allamand.

For his part, Ambassador Nguyen Ngoc Son reviewed major milestones in bilateral relations, saying Vietnam and Chile established a comprehensive partnership in 2007 and signed an FTA in 2011, and Chile has become an important economic and trade partner of Vietnam in Latin America.

The Vietnam-Chile relations have developed strongly in various areas over the years, from politics and diplomacy to economics, culture, and education, through high-level reciprocal visits and people-to-people exchanges, said Son, adding both countries have also collaborated closely in regional and international forums to address global issues.

The diplomat said despite the COVID-19 impact, the Vietnamese Embassy in Chile has cooperated with relevant Chilean agencies in organising many activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Chile. Among the activities were the publication of a special edition “Vietnam - Chile Comprehensive Partnership”, a Vietnam Week broadcast on the Chile University Radio, and a writing contest on Vietnam and Vietnam - Chile relations.