Vietnam regards European Union as one of its priority partners: Top leader

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam has affirmed that Vietnam regards the European Union (EU) as one of its priority partners and wants to deepen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in a more profound, substantive and effective manner.

At a meeting with President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on October 22 as part of his official visits to the EU and Belgium, General Secretary and President Lam highlighted the importance Vietnam attaches to its relations with the bloc and called for stronger cooperation in areas that can support the development goals of both sides.

Express his delight at meeting von der Leyen again, the Vietnamese leader praised her vision and determination to build a stronger and more autonomous Europe. He also welcomed the EU's strategies and initiatives aimed at improving competitiveness, advancing green transition and digital transformation, and strengthening the bloc’s international role.

Sharing Vietnam’s development vision and major priorities for the coming period, General Secretary and President Lam stressed the country’s determination to achieve its strategic goals for 2030 and 2045 and pursue rapid and sustainable development. He said Vietnam would maximise its domestic strengths while proactively integrating into the international community and making effective use of external resources, knowledge, technology and experience.

On this basis, the Vietnamese leader called on both sides to capitalise on their complementary strengths and make science and technology, innovation and energy transition key pillars of strategic cooperation to strengthen the autonomy, self-reliance and resilience of both economies, he said.

General Secretary and President Lam also called for more effective use of cooperation opportunities offered by the EU’s Global Gateway initiative, the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. He stressed the need to accelerate priority cooperation programmes and projects, particularly in strategic infrastructure, scientific research and innovation.

Von der Leyen warmly welcomed the Vietnamese leader and the delegation on their official visit to the EU. She spoke highly of the positive progress in Vietnam-EU relations, particularly following the elevation of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

She affirmed that the EU considers Vietnam as a reliable, like-minded partner in the Indo-Pacific region and expressed the bloc’s desire to work with Vietnam to effectively implement the new partnership framework, especially in trade, investment, science and technology, innovation and sustainable development.

The EC leader highlighted Vietnam’s development potential and its increasingly important role in regional and global supply chains. She expressed interest in expanding cooperation on critical raw materials, including sustainable extraction and processing, technology development and supply-chain diversification, to support green transition and digital transformation and improve competitiveness of both sides.

Von der Leyen said there is considerable room for cooperation in areas where the EU has strengths and Vietnam has development needs, including nuclear and renewable energy. The EU is also ready to support Vietnam’s ambition to become a regional transport and transit hub, she said, calling for greater progress on recently signed cooperation projects, including the Bac Ai pumped-storage hydropower project, Lien Chieu Port in Da Nang and the renovation and preservation of Long Bien Bridge in Hanoi.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese leader thanked von der Leyen for inviting him to attend and address the third Global Gateway Forum in June 2027, saying that it is an important opportunity to expand cooperation in investment, strategic infrastructure and energy transition.

The two leaders agreed to make better use of the special task force on implementing the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) to further expand economic and trade ties. They also agreed to work towards the early removal of the EU’s “yellow card” warning against Vietnamese seafood exports regarding illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

They pledged to strengthen cooperation in education and training, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges, while expanding collaboration in defence and security, crisis management, UN peacekeeping, maritime security and responses to non-traditional security challenges.

On regional and international issues, both leaders agreed to coordinate closely at multilateral forums, uphold multilateralism and international law, and promote free, smooth and unhindered trade. They also underscored the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), thus contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development in the region and the world.

On this occasion, General Secretary and President Lam invited von der Leyen to pay an official visit to Vietnam at an early date./.