Vietnam - Europe cooperation reaches new heights
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said that Vietnam-Europe cooperation in 2025 has reached a new height. The highlight is the strong increase in high-level diplomacy across all Party, State, Government, and National Assembly channels, with vibrant delegation exchanges, nearly doubling compared to 2024.
Trade and investment continue to affirm their pillar role. After 5 years of implementation, the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) continues to be clearly effective, making Vietnam the largest commodity trading partner of the EU in ASEAN, and the EU is the fourth largest trading partner of Vietnam. EU enterprises maintain their role as one of the high-quality foreign investment sources in Vietnam, focusing on the fields of processing and manufacturing industry, infrastructure, logistics, finance - banking, high technology and sustainable agriculture.
Science - technology and innovation have truly become a new pillar in Vietnam - Europe cooperation. Cooperation agreements signed in 2025 with Russia, France, Sweden, Estonia and Central Asian countries show the timely response and commitment of European partners to accompany strong innovations in Vietnam's development thinking in the new era, taking science and technology and innovation as growth drivers.
2025 is a prominent year with many important cultural and people-to-people diplomacy events such as the 75th anniversary of Vietnam - Russia and Vietnam - Central and Eastern European countries diplomatic relations, the 50th anniversary of Vietnam - Germany relations, the 35th anniversary of Vietnam - EU relations...
Europe is a companion in the new era of development
The world enters 2026 with unpredictable fluctuations. Europe also faces many challenges. However, Europe is still an important geopolitical and economic center.
Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang affirmed that Vietnam wishes to join Europe in improving the efficiency of traditional cooperation fields, expanding cooperation in new fields such as green transformation, digital transformation, renewable energy, green finance, training high-quality human resources and aerospace.
On the basis of promoting the combined strength of foreign policy pillars to effectively utilize international resources, expand the space to serve development so that Vietnam - Europe relations "reach a new height", the two sides need to be determined and coordinate closely both bilaterally and multilaterally.
First of all, it is necessary to maintain delegation exchanges, contacts at all levels, and channels to promote the effectiveness of existing cooperation frameworks with countries.
Second, further improve the effectiveness of implementing free trade agreements signed with countries in the region such as the EU (EVFTA), the UK (UKVFTA) and the Eurasian Economic Union, and actively exchange with the remaining EU member countries to soon complete EVIPA ratification.
Third, promote specific projects and specific results in science and technology cooperation, innovation, education and training, contributing to the effective implementation of Vietnam's strategic resolutions.
Fourth, promote the role of foreign information, cultural diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy, associated with tourism and local cooperation.
Fifth, coordinate at multilateral forums to promote multilateralism, respect for international law, freedom of trade and freedom of navigation, for the common interests of peace, stability and sustainable development in the region and in the world.
With the above orientations, Vietnam identifies partners in Europe as companions in the new era of development and strives to join Europe in bringing the cooperative relationship between the two sides to a new level right in the first year of the 14th National Congress of the Party, towards the two 100-year goals and successfully implementing the tasks of the Congress term.
