Vietnam and Chile established diplomatic relations on March 25, 1971. Over the past more than 50 years, this cooperation has achieved many positive outcomes, especially since the two countries established a comprehensive partnership in May 2007.

President Luong Cuong.

Chile values and seeks to strengthen relations with Asia-Pacific countries, including Vietnam, with both sides maintaining regular exchanges.

In 2014, Chile became the first Latin American country to sign a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) with Vietnam, and it is now Vietnam’s fourth-largest trading partner in the region.

Meanwhile, Vietnam is Chile’s largest trading partner within ASEAN. The two countries are participants in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and collaborate in international organisations and multilateral forums, including APEC.

November 14, 2024, marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Peru, with both countries experiencing positive growth from their relationship.

Leaders of both countries often meet during international conferences, and they maintain bilateral cooperation mechanisms such as political consultations and an intergovernmental committee.

Currently, Peru is the largest Latin American recipient of Vietnamese investments and Vietnam’s sixth-largest trading partner in the region, while Vietnam remains Peru’s top ASEAN trading partner. Both countries are CPTPP members and collaborate on international and multilateral forums.

The year 2024 holds special significance as it marks 35 years since the founding and development of APEC, reaffirming its position as a leading inter-regional economic cooperation mechanism with diverse and comprehensive goals.

In recent years, APEC has focused on promoting balanced, sustainable, and inclusive economic growth. With the theme for APEC 2024 being “Empowerment. Inclusion. Growth”, Peru continues to emphasise inclusive growth, ensuring that everyone benefits from APEC’s cooperative programmes.

Since joining APEC in 1998, Vietnam has made active and positive contributions to promoting peace, stability, regional cooperation, and economic integration, while helping APEC maintain its role as the leading economic integration mechanism in the Asia-Pacific.

Vietnam is one of the few members to have successfully hosted APEC twice (in 2006 and 2017), and it has been among the most active members in proposing initiatives and APEC cooperation projects.

Vietnam has also contributed to APEC’s operations by holding key positions, such as Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat as well as Chair and Vice-Chair of many of APEC’s main committees and working groups.

Conducted during a period of positive growth in Vietnam-Chile cooperation and on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Vietnam-Peru diplomatic relations, President Luong Cuong’s official visit to Chile and Peru has significant implications.

It aims to generate new momentum to bring the Vietnam-Chile Comprehensive Partnership and the multifaceted cooperation with Peru into a new, dynamic, and effective phase, meeting the aspirations and interests of these countries’ peoples.

This also marks Vietnam’s highest-level visit to South America in 2024, further solidifying Vietnam’s relationship with the region.

Reaffirming and implementing Vietnam’s independent, self-reliant, diversified, and multilateral foreign policy, along with its proactive international integration and enhanced multilateral diplomacy, President Luong Cuong’s participation in APEC 2024 reflects Vietnam’s active and responsible role in APEC as it looks forward to hosting the meeting again in 2027.

Best wishes for a successful visit by President Luong Cuong and the high-level Vietnamese delegation to Chile and Peru and for a fruitful participation in APEC 2024 in Lima.

This visit will deepen Vietnam’s relations with Chile and Peru while further strengthening Vietnam's contributions to promoting peace, cooperation, economic integration, and regional connectivity.