(VOVWORLD) - During talks in Hanoi on Thursday, President Luong Cuong and his South African counterpart Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa agreed to elevate relations between the two countries to a strategic partnership this year.
 President Luong Cuong and South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, Hanoi, October 23, 2025. (Photo: VOV) |
The leaders identified delegation exchanges at all levels and trade and investment cooperation as the driving forces for advancing bilateral ties. They proposed opening each other’s markets and promoting collaboration in key and potential areas such as defense, security, energy, mining, manufacturing, agriculture, peacekeeping, education, and the green economy.
“Both sides agreed to accelerate negotiations toward signing important documents such as a double taxation avoidance agreement, an agreement on visa exemption for ordinary passport holders, and an agreement on cooperation in science, technology, and innovation,” President Cuong said at a press conference following the talks.
President Ramaphosa affirmed that Vietnam is South Africa’s key partner in Southeast Asia, expressing his belief that his visit will lay the groundwork for upgrading bilateral relations to a strategic partnership this year.