Peruvian President Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of ‘The Sun of Peru’ to Vietnamese State President Luong Cuong last week, honoring his significant contributions to promoting the ties between the two countries.

The Peruvian leader presided over the awarding ceremony for President Cuong at the Casa de Pizarro, the Government Palace, in Lima on November 13 afternoon (local time), following their talks held on the same day, as part of the Vietnamese leader’s official visit to the South American country.  

Expressing her honor in awarding the noble order, President Dina Boluarte praised his significant contributions to beefing up the friendship and cooperation between Peru and Vietnam.

She emphasized that this high distinction reflected the Peruvian state’s appreciation and deep affection for the country and people of Vietnam, particularly when the Vietnamese leader’s visit coincided with the 30th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations.

The Peruvian president expressed her confidence that the relationship between the two nations would continue to be deepened in the future.

President Cuong said he was particularly moved to receive the Grand Cross of the Order of ‘The Sun of Peru’ when the two nations were celebrating 30 years of ties and during his first visit to the South American country.

“The order is a special demonstration of affection from the Peruvian state and people for Vietnam, as well as for the friendly relationship and cooperation between the two nations,” Cuong commented. 

Established in 1821, the Order of ‘The Sun of Peru’ is among the oldest orders in the Americas.

It is intended for honoring foreigners who have made outstanding contributions to Peru in the arts, literature, culture, politics, and social activities.

According to eMedals Inc. based in Canada, the order has currently six grades from the highest to lowest, namely Grand Cross with Diamonds, Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer, and Knight. 

The state leader of Vietnam described the order as a great encouragement for him to work harder with the Peruvian side to further develop the Vietnam-Peru partnership.

Despite the far geographical distance, the Vietnamese people have always received support and solidarity from the Peruvian people over the years, Cuong told his host.

He highlighted that the Vietnamese people admired Peru as a beautiful country with warm and hospitable citizens, home to the remarkable Inca civilization, and a popular destination that attracts millions of travelers annually, including a growing number of Vietnamese tourists.

After the honor-awarding ceremony, President Cuong and his Peruvian counterpart held a press briefing to share the outcomes of their discussions.

The Vietnamese leader gladly announced to the media that the two sides had agreed to issue a joint statement on strengthening Vietnam-Peru relations.

Cuong emphasized that the two countries had met all the conditions necessary to upgrade their relationship to a higher level for mutual interests.

Currently, Peru is Vietnam’s sixth-largest trading partner in Latin America and Vietnam is Peru's biggest trading partner in ASEAN, with two-way trade reaching almost $500 million in 2023 and nearing $300 million in the first seven months of 2024, according to official figures.

Peru is also the largest Latin American recipient of Vietnamese investments with two projects in development totaling $1.24 billion by Vietnam’s telecom giant Viettel Group and the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam).

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