The upcoming official visit to Armenia by National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man is expected to contribute to deepening the two countries’ relations.
This is the first official visit to Armenia by a top legislator of Vietnam since the two countries established their diplomatic relations in 1992. It takes place in the context of their traditional friendship developing well.
Over three decades of strong traditional friendship
According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia cum Uzbekistan and Armenia Dang Minh Khoi although Vietnam and Armenia officially established diplomatic relations on July 14, 1992, historically, Armenia was a republic in the Soviet Union which set up diplomatic ties with Vietnam on January 30, 1950. Therefore, it can be said that Vietnam’s relationship with Armenia has spanned 75 years.
Armenia opened its embassy in Vietnam in August 2013.
Over the past 30 years, the two countries have achieved significant progress in nation-building, socio-economic development, and deeper integration into the global community. Their relationship continues to strengthen at both bilateral and multilateral levels.
Armenia considers Vietnam an important partner in the Southeast Asian region. Over the years, the bilateral relationship has been continuously strengthened through high-level visits and engagements between their leaders.
Their Intergovernmental Committee on Economic, Trade, and Scientific-Technical Cooperation held its first session in March 2017 in Hanoi, and is preparing for the second session in Armenia.
At the multilateral level, the two countries have maintained close and effective exchanges, and supported each other at various forums and multilateral frameworks, including the United Nations and the Francophone community.
Ample room for economic-trade cooperation
In terms of economy, Vietnam signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), comprising Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia, on May 29, 2015. The agreement came into effect on October 5, 2016.
Based on this FTA, bilateral economic and trade relations have seen significant positive developments. Bilateral trade has grown rapidly, from 1.5 million USD in 2019 to 342 million USD in 2023 and nearly 500 million USD in 2024.
Armenia has several direct investment projects in Vietnam, including the electronic components manufacturing plant project by CCI Vietnam Co., Ltd., with a registered capital of 12.9 million USD in Quang Nam province’s Chu Lai Industrial Zone, and a research project worth 0.01 million USD in Ho Chi Minh City.
According to Ambassador Khoi, economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and Armenia remains modest and has yet to fully tap into its potential.
Therefore, in the coming time, Vietnam will enhance cooperation in the production of mobile phones, electronic components, textiles, agricultural products, and aquatic products, and in other sectors where both countries have strength.
Additionally, tourism will be a key focus for both sides, as Armenia boasts stunning landscapes and many ideal destinations to attract Vietnamese tourists, while Vietnam, with its beautiful beaches and resorts, is an appealing destination for Armenian travellers, he stated.
Strengthening Vietnam-Armenia parliamentary cooperation
Regarding parliamentary cooperation, the two National Assemblies have consistently maintained a strong and positive relationship. The Armenian NA has established the Armenia-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group, while the Vietnamese NA is working toward the early establishment of the Vietnam-Armenia Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group to further strengthen ties between lawmakers of both countries.
Since the official visit to Vietnam by President of the Armenian National Assembly Alen Simonyan in November last year, bilateral parliamentary cooperation has deepened. The visit, the first by a head of Armenia’s legislature since the two countries established diplomatic relations more than 30 years ago, underscored Armenia’s commitment to its traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam across various fields.
The Vietnamese top legislator’s visit to Armenia this time marks an important milestone to maintain and intensify the two countries’ long-lasting friendship and seek new opportunities to promote bilateral collaboration.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said that the trip holds profound political significance, reflecting Vietnam’s deep appreciation for its traditional friendship and its desire to strengthen political trust with Armenia to create a foundation to enhance cooperation across various fields and elevate bilateral relations to new heights.
According to Ambassador Khoi, during the visit, Man will hold talks with his Armenian counterpart to discuss and strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation, share legislative experience, and enhance collaboration between the friendship parliamentary groups of both countries.
Additionally, both sides will focus on discussing major strategic directions and specific measures to further expand bilateral cooperation in all fields, especially in politics, economy, trade, culture, education, and training./.
