Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Brazilian President Luiz Lula da Silva at their talks in November 2024. (Photo: VNA)

Since President Lula’s return to office in January 2023, the Vietnam-Brazil relationship has gained significant momentum, Minister Vieira said, adding that  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s historic visit to Brazil in September 2023, the first ever by a Vietnamese PM, marked a milestone in the renewed engagement between the two sides.

At their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro last November, President Lula and PM Chinh took the historic step of elevating bilateral ties to a strategic partnership.

Minister Vieira said Vietnam has become an important partner of Brazil in Southeast Asia, with trade turnover reaching a record 7.7 billion USD in 2024. He said Brazil values Vietnam as a reliable friend and an important ally in the Southern Hemisphere, and Brazil is currently developing an Action Plan to implement the strategic partnership with Vietnam. This will serve as a roadmap for cooperation in defense, science, technology, innovation, agriculture, environmental sustainability, and energy transition.

Brazil is also promoting deeper economic cooperation between the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and Vietnam, he said.