At the invitation of Party General Secretary, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, President of the Republic of Argentina Mauricio Macri and his wife paid a State visit to Vietnam on 19-21 February 2019.

During the visit, President Mauricio Macri had talks with Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong; met with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan; attended the Vietnam-Argentina Business Forum. President M. Macri paid a floral tribune to President Ho Chi Minh at his Mausoleum; and lead a wreath at the Monument to War Heroes and Martyrs.

At the meetings, Vietnamese leaders congratulated Argentina on its recent achievements that have helped consolidate its position as the third largest economy in Latin America and a member of the G20; and affirmed that Vietnam always sees Argentina as a leading Latin American partner and wants to enhance the comprehensive bilateral partnership, especially in economics, trade and investment. The President of Argentina expressed his admiration at the glorious history of struggle for independence and freedom of the Vietnamese nation. He spoke highly of Vietnam’s reform accomplishments over the last three decades, reiterating that his country is determined to strengthen bilateral friendship and cooperation so as to contribute to each side’s development. Accordingly, they agreed to maintain high-level meetings and mutual visits at all levels from the Central to local levels and increase relations between the countries’ parliaments, parties and people-to-people diplomacy.

They highly valued the Vietnam-Argentina Inter-Governmental Committee and the political consultation between the two foreign ministries, agreeing to continue bringing into play these mechanisms. They agreed that Vietnam and Argentina will promote negotiations on agreements in different fields and work to create a long-term legal framework for bilateral ties.

Highlighting bilateral trade and economic links, the two sides noted that bilateral trade reached $2.9 billion in 2018, double the figure of five years ago. They agreed to further diversify trade to ensure more balanced interests, increase the trade of products with higher added value, and boost cooperation between animal and plant quarantine agencies.

The leaders also vowed to facilitate dialogue and cooperation between the two business communities through business forums and trade and investment promotion activities.

They welcomed the opening of the Vietnamese and Argentine markets to some of each other’s fruit, noting that the two sides will continue discussing access of strong products to each other’s markets.

Both sides will also conduct a feasibility study on a trade agreement between Vietnam and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) bloc to bring about positive economic impacts.

Highlighting the positive contribution of technical cooperation as a tool to strengthen bilateral relations, the two sides acknowledged the contribution of a 15-project cooperation program funded by the Argentine International Cooperation Fund (FOAR), with a focus on industrial agriculture and forensic anthropology. The Argentine leader noted that Vietnam is its largest partner in the field of technical cooperation in Southeast Asia.

Argentina and Vietnam underlined that the two sides will step up sharing of experience, knowledge and technology between agencies and technical organizations through transfer of knowledge and technology. In terms of industry and agriculture, a regional workshop on technical cooperation was organized by the two sides in July 2018 in Hanoi, through which many new initiatives of common interest were produced.

In order to strengthen and expand cultural relations, the two sides agreed to promote the Cultural Exchange Program in the period of 2019-2023, creating a framework for better exchanges between the two cultures. The two sides committed to encourage cooperation in the field of sports and enhance information exchange and cooperation in international sporting events.

The two sides concurred to reinforce coordination, and mutual support at international organizations and multilateral fora, especially in the United Nations, World Trade Organization, the Forum for East Asia-Latin American Cooperation. The two sides affirmed their commitment to the negotiation process within the framework of the Second UN Summit on South-South Cooperation, which will be held in Buenos Aires on 20-22 March 2019; strive to make the final document of the Summit reflecting the contribution of developing countries to the goal of sustainable development; and turn the tripartite cooperation initiatives into an effective mechanism to overcome existing development challenges in each country.

Both side emphasized the importance of cooperation and information exchange with the aim of preventing and combating transnational organized crime, terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering and human trafficking as well as the importance of participating in addressing global security and order issues through relevant agencies of the two countries. The two sides would step up negotiations for an Agreement on the Prevention of Transnational Organized Crime and an Agreement on the Prevention and Control of Trafficking in Persons, Assistance to and Protection of Victims of Trafficking in Persons between the two Governments in 2019.

Regarding international and regional issues of common concern, they shared the view that sovereignty and territorial disputes need to be resolved by peaceful means with respect for international law.

During the visit, officials of the two countries signed several cooperation documents: an action program on technical cooperation in the identification of martyrs’ remains between the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship; a cultural exchange program for 2019-2023 between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Argentine Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology; and a cooperation agreement between Radio the Voice of Vietnam and the Federal System of Media and Public Content of Argentina.