EU ambassador calls Vietnam key partner in Asia-Pacific

Guerrier made the remarks during a meeting with Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam in Hanoi on Thursday, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He congratulated Vietnam on its development since national reunification and expressed the EU’s commitment to supporting Vietnam’s goals of becoming a developed country by 2045 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

The ambassador emphasized shared priorities between Vietnam and the EU, including the importance of preserving an open and stable international trade system and ensuring the resilience of global supply chains.

He reaffirmed Vietnam’s status as a trusted and prioritized partner of the EU in the region, noting its increasing role as the country enters a new era of national development.

Guerrier highlighted the EU’s interest in expanding cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, transport, renewable energy, aviation and aerospace, telecommunications, and green transition.

In response, Party chief To Lam reaffirmed Vietnam’s foreign policy of diversification and multilateralization, which emphasizes equitable and sustainable cooperation with all partners.

He welcomed EU support in advancing green and digital transformation, sustainable development, and technological innovation.

Lam thanked the ambassador and the EU delegation for their contributions to Vietnam-EU relations and noted that 2025 will mark a milestone – 35 years of cooperation and development between the two sides.

Elevating cooperation to new heights

The Party leader noted the positive impact of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which has energized bilateral commerce since coming into force five years ago. 

Vietnam is now the EU’s largest trading partner in ASEAN, while the EU is Vietnam’s fourth-largest trading partner and sixth-largest investor.

In 2024, two-way trade between the two sides reached nearly US$70 billion, with EU investment in Vietnam exceeding $30 billion.

Amid an increasingly complex geopolitical and economic environment, Lam called for closer cooperation, stronger political trust, and deeper strategic dialogue.

He proposed that both sides work together to develop a joint roadmap to elevate the partnership to a new, more substantive level that ensures mutual benefit.

The Party leader also stressed the importance of maintaining high-level exchanges and effectively implementing the EVFTA as a foundation for trade and investment.

Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation within the ASEAN-EU framework and support peace and stability in the East Vietnam Sea, which they described as a vital maritime corridor for global commerce.

To close the meeting, General Secretary Lam extended congratulations to the EU ahead of Europe Day, celebrated annually on May 9.