Vietnam, Brazil elevate bilateral ties to strategic partnership

Vietnam and Brazil issued a joint statement on elevating their bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday (local time) on the occasion of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s ongoing trip to the Latin American nation to attend the G20 Summit and join bilateral activities.

The Investor introduces the full text of the "Joint Statement between Brazil and Vietnam on elevating bilateral relations to Strategic Partnership":

1. His Excellency Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and His Excellency Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, met in Rio de Janeiro on November 17, 2024, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.

2. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his satisfaction in receiving Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Rio de Janeiro, following the Vietnamese leader’s official visit to Brazil from September 23 to 25, 2023 - the first by a Vietnamese Prime Minister. Both leaders recalled the Joint Statement issued during the occasion, which remains a reference for future bilateral engagements.

3. The leaders celebrated the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between their countries, expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved over the years, especially since the establishment of Comprehensive Partnership in 2007; and reaffirmed their commitment to fostering an even stronger relationship grounded in friendship and mutual respect.

4. The leaders noted, among other recent significant exchanges, the visit of Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira to Vietnam on April 10, 2024, and the delegation led by Nguyen Trong Nghia, a Politburo member and Chairman of the Central Committee of Education and Communication of the Communist Party of Vietnam, that visited Brazil from August 26 to 29th, 2024; they pledged to expand high-level official engagements through all channels, as well as to promote local cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

5. The leaders welcomed the sustainable growth in bilateral economic exchanges and pledged to further promote trade and investment. They recalled their committed targets to raise bilateral trade volume to $10 billion in 2025 and $15 billion in 2030.

6. Both leaders celebrated Brazil and Vietnam's collaboration in multilateral fora and pledged to enhance coordination and mutual support, affirming their shared commitment to peace and sustainable development.

7. Both leaders celebrated the launching of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva welcomed Vietnam as a founding member of the Global Alliance, and both leaders committed to collective efforts to eradicate hunger by the end of the decade, aligning with the 2030 Agenda.

8. The leaders also expressed support for the reform of global governance, including the expansion of permanent and non-permanent seats of the UN Security Council. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh for Vietnam’s support for Brazil’s aspiration for a permanent seat in a reformed Security Council.

9. Both leaders reiterated their countries’ respect for international law, especially the United Nations Charter, and their support for the peaceful settlement of disputes in international relations on the basis of international law, including compliance and good faith implementation of the provisions of international law on seas and oceans, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982). Brazil welcomed the UNCLOS Group of Friends Initiative spearheaded by Vietnam and a number of key countries.

10. Recognizing climate change as a major civilizational challenge, the leaders committed to working together within the frameworks of the UNFCCC, its Kyoto Protocol, and its Paris Agreement. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomed Brazil's decision to host COP-30 in Belém in 2025 and pledged his support to the Conference´s successful results.

11. Recognizing the urgency of a just energy transition that addresses the needs of developing countries, the leaders emphasized biofuels’ key importance in decarbonizing the mobility and transport sector. They agreed to maintain dialogues on bioenergy and renewable energy and other initiatives to reduce inequalities within and among nations.

12. The leaders highlighted the importance of ASEAN-Brazil relations and expressed support for further strengthening the ASEAN-Brazil Sectoral Dialogue Partnership in a substantial, effective and mutually beneficial manner. Brazil supported ASEAN Centrality in the region and reaffirmed its commitment to cooperating with ASEAN in areas such as sustainable development, energy, climate change response, disaster management, science, technology and innovation, agriculture, food security and nutrition, among others.

13. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh reiterated Vietnam's proposal to start negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR). President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva agreed to continue discussion with other MERCOSUR members on this matter.

14. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh congratulated President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for Brazil’s leadership in amplifying the voice of the Global South within the G20. He also conveyed invitations from Vietnam´s high level leaders and expressed his desire to host President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in an official visit to Vietnam in 2025. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his gratitude for the invitation and his desire to visit Vietnam soon.

15. Building on their shared achievements and recognizing the mutual benefits of a strategic outlook for Brazil-Vietnam relations, both leaders agreed to elevate the bilateral relations to the level of Strategic Partnership. They also instructed their Foreign Ministers to negotiate the terms of reference of the Strategic Partnership, to be concluded at the earliest opportunity.