Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva agreed to elevate the relationship between their two countries to a strategic partnership during their talks in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.

The talks took place during PM Chinh’s trip to the Latin American nation to attend the G20 Summit and have bilateral activities from November 16 to 19. 

Looking back on the 35-year journey of diplomatic relations, PM Chinh told his host that the Vietnam-Brazil relationship has been built and developed on five major pillars, namely shared ideals and trust, cultural affinity, complementary nature of the two economies, sincere and warm feeling, and aspirations for peace and development.

Based on these foundations, the bilateral relationship has experienced fruitful developments in all fields, especially since the two countries entered a comprehensive partnership in 2007, he commented.

With a common strategic vision to develop the relationship more deeply and substantially on bilateral, regional, and global levels, both leaders consented to elevate the two countries’ relations to a strategic partnership. 

They pledged to order both foreign ministries to promptly develop and finalize the detailed contents of the Vietnam-Brazil strategic partnership framework at the earliest possible time. 

Both leaders agreed to take necessary measures including exchanging delegations at all levels, effectively implementing the documents signed during PM Chinh’s Brazil visit in September 2023, and fostering cooperation in areas such as high technology, digital transformation, energy transition, biofuels, environmental protection, and climate change response.

President Lula da Silva acknowledged PM Chinh’s suggestions that Brazil recognizes Vietnam’s market economy status and that the two sides negotiate a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR for its Spanish initials, including Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay) in the future. 

Both leaders also agreed to promote bilateral trade and investment, underlining their targets of raising two-way trade to US$10 billion in 2025 and $15 billion in 2030.

According to official figures, Brazil is Vietnam's leading trade partner in Latin America, with bilateral turnover soaring to more than $7.1 billion last year from $1.53 billion in 2011.

The two leaders agreed to enhance defense and security cooperation, focusing on officer training, defense industry and trade, logistics, military medicine, and peacekeeping operations.

This collaboration will build on a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation signed in September 2023.

They also pledged to strengthen joint efforts in combating transnational and cyber crimes.

PM Chinh welcomed and appreciated Brazil’s decision to send its representatives, including the Embraer Aerospace Corporation, to the Vietnam International Defense Exhibition in December 2024, believing that the presence of the Brazilian side will contribute to making the event a success.

President Lula da Silva expressed confidence that PM Chinh's participation in the G20 Summit, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, would significantly contribute to the event's outcomes.

He noted that Vietnam's delegation could enhance the country's position and role in addressing global challenges by drawing on its strengths and expertise across various fields.

In discussing regional and international issues, they concurred to step up cooperation in global governance, poverty alleviation, climate change response, and the reform of the United Nations (UN).

The two leaders emphasized that international disagreements and disputes should be resolved peacefully, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

PM Chinh extended invitations from Party General Secretary To Lam and State President Luong Cuong for the Brazilian president to visit Vietnam in 2025, which he graciously accepted.

President Lula da Silva invited PM Chinh to the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP30) and the BRICS summit in Brazil in 2025.

BRICS is an intergovernmental organization currently consisting of nine member states, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the UAE.

Following the talks, the two sides issued a joint statement on the upgrade of their bilateral ties to a strategic partnership.

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