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Building a firm Vietnam – Chile relationship

President Tran Dai Quang and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet Jeria discussed orientations and measures to enhance friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries during their talks in Hanoi on November 9. The talks took place following a welcome ceremony for Chile’s President Michelle Bachelet Jeria who was on a State visit to Vietnam from November 8-9. 
The relationship between Chile and Viet Nam has its roots in the visit paid by Salvador Allende to Viet Nam in May 1969, where he delivered the solidarity and support of Chile to President Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnamese people, in their struggle for peace. The two leaders laid the foundation for a strong relationship – a solidarity that remains intact today.
President Quang spoke highly of the Chilean Government’s close coordination and active support for Vietnam’s hosting Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2017 as well as the organisation of the ongoing APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in central Da Nang city.

“Vietnam attaches importance and wishes to deepen the comprehensive partnership with Chile,” he stressed.

President Bachelet extended her deep sympathy to Vietnamese leaders and people over great human and property losses caused by recent typhoon Damrey, downpours and floods in Vietnam’s central region.

She noted that Chile considers Vietnam an important partner in Asia-Pacific, and congratulated the country on its contributions to APEC development through hosting APEC 2017.


President of Chile Michelle Bachelet paid a State visit to Vietnam from November 8 to 9 at the invitation of her Vietnamese counterpart Tran Dai Quang.  Photo: Nhan Sang/VNA


President Tran Dai Quang receives Chilean President Michelle Bachelet Jeria. Photo: Nhan Sang/VNA


The two presidents hold talks. Photo: Nhan Sang/VNA

Following their talks, the two Presidents signed the Vietnam-Chile joint statement. Photo: Nhan Sang/VNA


The two presidents witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation agreements between Vietnam and Chile. Photo: Nhan Sang/VNA


President Tran Dai Quang hosted a banquet in honour of his Chilean counterpart Michelle Bachelet Jeria in Hanoi on November 9. Photo: Nhan Sang/VNA

The two leaders commented on the fruitful comprehensive partnership over the past years across fields, ranging from politics to trade, which has grown from 30-40 percent annually since the Vietnam-Chile Free Trade Agreement took effect on January 1, 2014. In 2016, bilateral trade value reached 1.1 billion USD, increasing more than two times over 2013. In the first nine months of this year, the figure was close to 960 million USD, up 29 percent against the same period last year. 
President Tran Dai Quang thanked the Chilean President and Government for actively promoting the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on taking care of children, especially the Agent Orange (AO)/Dioxin victims in Vietnam.
President Quang used the occasion to thank the Chilean Government for supporting Vietnam’s candidacy to the UN Security Council for 2020-2021.

Host and guest agreed to maintain the exchange of delegations at levels among sectors, localities and businesses, and such mechanisms as the bilateral free trade council and political consultation at the deputy foreign ministerial level.

The two countries will also work to complete a legal framework for bilateral cooperation and create the best possible conditions for their businesses to access the respective markets.

At the same time, they will establish trade and investment ties in agro-fishery production and processing, high-tech agriculture, mining, biotechnology and climate change response, while facilitating export and import of farm produce.

They consented to step up collaboration in culture, science-technology, education-training, tourism and other spheres.

Vietnam and Chile agreed to boost their collaboration at international organisations multilateral forums, especially the UN, the World Trade Organisation (WTO), APEC, negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement and the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), along with promoting cooperation between ASEAN and the Pacific Alliance (AP) in an effective and pragmatic manner.


Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng (R) receives Chilean president Michelle Bachelet on November 9. Photo: Tri Dung


The Chilean president also held talks with the National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan before leaving for Da Nang on November 9 to attend the APEC Summit. Photo: Trong Duc / VNA


In her last day in Hanoi, the Chilean president visited the stilt house of late President Ho Chi Minh Photo: Nguyen Dan / TTXVN

Talking about regional and international issues of shared concern, the two Presidents noted their support for settling sovereignty and territorial disputes by peaceful measures on the basis of respect for international law, particularly the UN Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as well as diplomatic and legal processes.

President Bachelet invited President Quang to pay a State visit to Chile in the time ahead. The Vietnamese President accepted the invitation with pleasure.

Following their talks, the two Presidents signed the Vietnam-Chile joint statement and witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation agreements, including a Governmental-level memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in caring children and adolescents who are Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims in Vietnam; an agreement on income activities for relatives of diplomats and employees of consulates, representative offices and international organisations; and a MoU on cooperation between the two countries’ academies of diplomacy.

They then met with the press to inform outcomes of their talks ./.


Two-way trade continues to rise, especially after the Vietnam-Chile FTA took effect on January 1, 2014, growing from US$170 million in 2006 to more than US$1 billion ten years later and over US$955 million in the first nine months of 2017, making Chile one of the Latin American countries exceeding US$1 billion in their annual bilateral trade with Vietnam.
VNA/VNP

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