Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Brazilian President Lula da Silva. (Photo: Duong Giang/Reuters)

This will be President Lula da Silva's second visit to Vietnam. His first was in 2008. While the 2008 visit focused primarily on fostering bilateral friendship and cooperation, this year’s visit takes place amid strong development of the Vietnam-Brazil Strategic Partnership established four months ago.

Vietnam was the first ASEAN country to establish a Strategic Partnership with Brazil, and Brazil was the first South American nation to upgrade its relationship with Vietnam to this level.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will pay a State visit to Vietnam from March 27 to 29. (Photo: Kyodo/Reuters)

Advancing the Strategic Partnership

President Da Silva's visit is a crucial opportunity to discuss concrete measures to implement the Strategic Partnership and turn political commitments into tangible actions. For Vietnam, the visit marks a turning point in its ties with Brazil – South America's largest economy and a key regional player – offering opportunities to diversify economic partnerships and foster growth in key sectors.

The visit aligns with Vietnam's broader foreign policy, contributing to the implementation of the 13th National Party Congress Resolution and the "Vietnam-Latin America Relations Development Plan in the 2022-2026 period." It also supports international commitments and new cooperation frameworks, underscoring Vietnam’s determination to enhance ties with key Latin American partners, particularly Brazil.

During the visit, leaders will explore cooperation in renewable energy, manufacturing and processing, high-tech agriculture, biofuels, education, training, and climate change response. Specific measures will be discussed to strengthen economic and trade ties, expand markets, and boost investment flows between Vietnam and Brazil. Ministries, local authorities, and businesses from both nations are expected to sign agreements establishing a strong legal foundation for practical cooperation with long-term benefits.

Vietnam hopes Brazil will soon recognize its market economy status and expedite negotiations for a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Southern Common Market or MERCOSUR, a crucial step toward expanding economic, trade, and investment cooperation.

The visit opens doors for further cooperation in tourism, aviation, seaports, and logistics. These are the potential areas for both countries to enhance cooperation toward more robust bilateral ties.

A new era of sustainable, effective collaboration

Amid the current rapidly evolving, multi-structured, multi-centered, and multi-tiered global landscape, Vietnam and Brazil must work closely to share information and cooperate in security and defense alongside economic collaboration, leveraging their complementary strength to diversify their supply chains, labor markets, goods, industry, services, production, and consumption.

Vietnam and Brazil can jointly contribute to global initiatives in environmental protection, peacekeeping, and sustainable development. Through international cooperation frameworks, both countries have an opportunity to address pressing global challenges and promote peace, stability, and economic prosperity.

With a foundation of strong political trust, close cooperation, and a long-term vision, President Lula da Silva's visit to Vietnam marks the beginning of a new era of stronger, more sustainable, more practical, and more effective bilateral relations. The visit will create new opportunities not only for Vietnam and Brazil but also contributes to regional and global stability and prosperity.