Viet Nam, Panama issue Joint Statement

Viet Nam and Panama on October 7 issued a Joint Statement on the occasion of the official visit to Viet Nam by Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino Quintero.

The Viet Nam News Agency would like to introduce a translation of the Joint Statement.

1. At the invitation of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam and President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam To Lam and his spouse, President of the Republic of Panama José Raúl Mulino Quintero and his spouse paid an official visit to the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam from October 5 to 8, 2026.

2. During the visit, President José Raúl Mulino Quintero attended the official welcome ceremony, held talks with and attended an official banquet hosted by General Secretary and President To Lam, met with Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and President of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man; attended and delivered a speech at the Viet Nam-Panama Business Forum, received leaders of several businesses, and visited several cultural and historical sites in Hanoi.

3. On this occasion, General Secretary and President To Lam and President José Raúl Mulino Quintero issued a Joint Statement and witnessed the exchange and signing of cooperation documents between the two countries, including the Agreement on Cooperation in Maritime Transport; the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in Combating Transnational Crime; the MoU on Agricultural Cooperation; the MoU on cooperation between customs authorities; the MoU between the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism and the Panama Tourism Authority on tourism cooperation; the MoU between the Civil Aviation Authority of Viet Nam and the Civil Aviation Authority of Panama; the MoU on Cooperation between the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP); the MoU on cooperation between the two diplomatic academies; the MoU on Cooperation between the Viet Nam Maritime University and the International Maritime University of Panama; and the MoU on Cooperation between the Viet Nam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS) and the Institute of Agricultural Innovation of Panama (IDIAP).

4. In a friendly and cordial atmosphere, General Secretary and President To Lam and President José Raúl Mulino Quintero underscored the importance and significance of the visit, which marks the second official visit to Viet Nam by a Head of State of the Republic of Panama since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations, and affirmed their commitment to further deepening the traditional friendship and cooperation between Viet Nam and Panama, laying a foundation and setting orientations for bilateral relations in the new period on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of diplomatic ties (August 28, 1975 - August 28, 2026).

5. President José Raúl Mulino Quintero acknowledged and expressed his deep appreciation for Viet Nam being the first country to sign the Protocol to the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal (1979). Congratulating the Vietnamese State and people on the great achievements attained over 40 years of Doi moi (Renewal), the Panamanian President affirmed that Panama considers Viet Nam a top priority partner in the Asia-Pacific region. General Secretary and President To Lam expressed his gratitude for the solidarity and support extended by the Panamanian people to Viet Nam during its past struggle for national liberation, as well as in the cause of national construction and development at present.

General Secretary and President To Lam congratulated Panama on its socio-economic development achievements and spoke highly of the country’s peaceful, neutral and open foreign policy. He affirmed that Viet Nam regards Panama as a traditional friend and a partner with great potential in the region, and expressed a wish to strengthen multifaceted cooperation, contributing to the development of both countries.

6. The two sides also exchanged views on their respective recent developments, visions and development policies in the coming period, as well as orientations and measures to enhance the effectiveness of bilateral collaboration in all fields. They shared views on international and regional issues of mutual concern.

General Secretary and President To Lam and President José Raúl Mulino Quintero expressed their satisfaction with the development of the traditional friendship and good cooperation between the two countries in recent years, sharing the view that the two sides still have significant potential to expand cooperation for development. The two leaders agreed to continue consolidating and deepening the existing sound political relations, and expanding and improving the effectiveness of cooperation in all areas, particularly economy, trade and investment, with a view to generating greater economic value and harmonising national interests with sustainable development goals.

7. The two leaders agreed to intensify high-level dialogue to provide orientations for the development of Viet Nam-Panama relations through bilateral visits and meetings between high-ranking leaders of the two States, Governments, and National Assemblies, as well as ministries and sectors of the two countries; effectively promote the mechanisms of Political Consultation between the two Foreign Ministries and meeting of the Joint Committee on Economic, Trade and Investment Cooperation; and stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation between the two countries’ parties and political organisations, legislative and judicial bodies, and localities, as well as people-to-people exchanges, thereby consolidating the political foundation, trust and mutual understanding. They agreed to promote exchanges to consolidate and strengthen mechanisms and legal frameworks for bilateral cooperation, and enhance tourism, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

8. General Secretary and President To Lam and President José Raúl Mulino Quintero noted the positive growth in Viet Nam-Panama economic, trade and investment relations, and agreed to direct efforts to promote trade and investment activities and connectivity, and create conditions for businesses of both countries to access each other’s markets and participate more deeply in regional and global supply chains, and continue to diversify the structure of import and export goods and facilitate bilateral trade and investment. Highlighting the geo-economic role of Viet Nam and Panama in East Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, the two leaders encouraged Government agencies and businesses of the two countries to establish partnerships and pursue business and investment cooperation in maritime transport, aviation, logistics and bonded warehouses, insurance and finance. They agreed to promote negotiations on an Agreement on Investment Promotion and Protection; an Agreement on the Exchange and Protection of Classified Information; and a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Hanoi University and the Metropolitan University of Education, Science and Technology.

9. The two leaders also underscored the potential for expanding cooperation between businesses of the two countries in agriculture, renewable energy, maritime affairs, aviation and logistics, finance - banking, innovation, telecommunications, digital transformation, marine environmental protection, and climate change adaptation; and expressed interest in expanding cooperation in science, technology, innovation, digital transformation, education and culture, sports and tourism.

10. The two sides affirmed their determination to strengthen cooperation in preventing and combating transnational crime, organised crime, drug-related crime, human trafficking, money laundering, terrorism, cybercrime and emerging forms of crime; enhance information exchange and experience sharing; and enhance law enforcement capacity in accordance with the laws of each country and international treaties to which both are parties. The two sides will work to promote the early entry into force and effective implementation of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime (Hanoi Convention), and promote bilateral cooperation at multilateral forums on cybersecurity and combating cybercrime to which both countries are members.

11. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to promoting multilateralism with the United Nations playing the central role, respecting international law, and strengthening cooperation and mutual support within global and inter-regional mechanisms of which both countries are members, including the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

The two leaders shared the view that an increasingly globalised world requires more open approaches to international trade and cultural exchanges. Globalisation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution are powerful drivers of innovation, development and connectivity among regions around the world, while also strengthening stable relations among institutions and organisations.

12. The two sides highly valued the central role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in maintaining peace, cooperation and development in the Asia-Pacific region, agreed to maintain exchanges of experience in cooperation and support each other in strengthening relations with international, inter-regional and regional cooperation mechanisms of which either country is a member, including ASEAN, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and the Central American Integration System (SICA).

13. The two leaders affirmed that the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982) constitutes the legal framework governing all activities in the seas and oceans, as well as maritime cooperation at the national, regional and global levels. They stressed the need to uphold the universality and integrity of UNCLOS 1982.

The two sides underscored the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and safety, freedom of navigation and overflight, and unimpeded lawful maritime economic activities; refraining from the threat or use of force; and settling disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law, particularly the Charter of the United Nations and UNCLOS 1982. They also stressed the importance of conserving and sustainably using the oceans and marine resources.

14. The two sides expressed concern over the increasingly complex and escalating conflicts in some parts of the world, which pose serious threats to the lives and safety of civilians and to regional and global peace and stability. The two sides called for greater efforts in negotiations and the settlement of differences by peaceful means, on the basis of international law, particularly the Charter of the United Nations, while respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations and refraining from the use or threat of use of force in international relations.

15. The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the important outcomes of President José Raúl Mulino Quintero’s official visit to Viet Nam and expressed their confidence that the visit would open a new phase in the development of Viet Nam Panama friendship and cooperation in a substantive, effective, comprehensive and sustainable manner, serving the interests of the two peoples and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the two regions and the world.

16. President José Raúl Mulino Quintero expressed his appreciation to General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and President To Lam for the warm and hospitable reception extended to the high-ranking Panamanian delegation during the visit, and cordially invited General Secretary and President To Lam and Prime Minister Le Minh Hung to pay an early visit to Panama at a mutually convenient time.

The Vietnamese leaders accepted the invitation with pleasure and proposed that the two sides agree on the timing of the visits through diplomatic channels.