The Prime Minister’s trip to attend the Expanded BRICS Summit 2025 holds special significance, marking his third consecutive visit to Brazil since 2023. It comes shortly after Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s State visit to Viet Nam in March 2025. These reciprocal visits reflect the increasingly warm, robust, and multifaceted friendship and cooperation between the two developing nations.
This also marks the first time that Viet Nam has participated as a Partner Country at the BRICS Summit, a multilateral cooperation mechanism among emerging economies that is playing an increasingly influential role in both global economic and political arenas.
At the high-level discussion on “Strengthening Multilateralism, Economic–Financial Issues, and Artificial Intelligence”, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh delivered a strong message emphasising the importance of enhancing multilateral cooperation and affirming the role of developing countries in the global governance system. He put forward three important and practical proposals. First, BRICS and Global South nations should take the lead in revitalising multilateral cooperation, persistently engaging in dialogue and collaboration based on the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law. Second, BRICS and Global South countries pioneer efforts in promoting trade liberalisation while respecting rights and legitimate interests of nations. Third, it is crucial to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to serve people instead of replacing people.
At the high-level session on environment, COP30 and global health, PM Pham Minh Chinh reaffirmed Viet Nam’s strong determination and vigorous efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. He emphasised the country’s proactive and responsible participation in global mechanisms for environmental, climate, and health cooperation.
The Prime Minister underscored that there is no environment to replace the Earth, no luggage more precious than health, and no foundation more solid than humanity. Only through collective action can we leave future generations with a healthy planet, a prosperous world, and a happy humanity.
He also put forward a number of practical proposals and solutions based on Viet Nam’s real-world experiences that were well-aligned with the urgent needs of developing countries today. These proposals clearly demonstrated Viet Nam’s spirit of responsibility in contributing to global efforts to address pressing challenges and were warmly welcomed and highly praised by leaders in attendance.
Inacio Arruda, Brazil’s Deputy Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation and President of the Brazil–Viet Nam Friendship Association, who frequently accompanied Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh during his activities in Rio de Janeiro, said that Viet Nam is a very important partner for the BRICS bloc. The participation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has strengthened BRICS’ presence in Asia and helped make it a reference point not only for political coordination but also for the robust implementation of development programmes. In addition to relations with major global financial institutions, BRICS countries now need to build closer, more connected institutions with developing nations.
Though separated by geography, Viet Nam and Brazil share many similarities and both hold significant positions and roles in their respective regions and on the global stage. Brazil is a dynamic and innovative nation, serving as a financial, economic, and industrial hub for South America, the MERCOSUR bloc, the BRICS group, and the broader world. It also acts as a vital bridge connecting Asia and ASEAN with South America. Meanwhile, Viet Nam is a country rich in potential and advantages, driven by a strong development aspiration and a commitment to mutually beneficial cooperation. Viet Nam stands ready to serve as a gateway for Brazil to enhance its cooperation with ASEAN.
During his talks with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva emphasized that no relationship is ever perfect, but Brazil will strive to make ours with Viet Nam as close to perfect as possible.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed that President Lula would support the early conclusion of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Viet Nam and the MERCOSUR bloc during the second half of 2025—coinciding with Brazil’s term as MERCOSUR Chair—as well as negotiations on a bilateral FTA between Viet Nam and Brazil.
The two sides also agreed to sign an agreement on food security cooperation, under which Viet Nam will export rice to help stabilise Brazil’s food supply.
Notably, as the world’s top two coffee producers, Brazil and Viet Nam reached a consensus on strengthening cooperation in the coffee sector. This includes promoting the formation of a coffee production and export alliance, conducting joint research to establish a coffee trading exchange, developing a shared coffee brand, and elevating the culture of coffee appreciation that is deeply intertwined with the cultural identities of both nations.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his strong belief that this visit would usher in a new era of agricultural cooperation between Viet Nam and Brazil, turning agriculture into a breakthrough pillar of bilateral relations. The symbolic image of the two leaders jointly signing off on a shipment of beef exports from Brazil to Viet Nam and Vietnamese tra (pangasius) fish fillets destined for Brazil captured this powerful shared commitment.
Brazil’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply, Luis Renato Alcantara Rua, noted that the relationship between the two countries is currently at its finest—a historic moment marked by Brazil exporting beef to Viet Nam for the first time and Viet Nam exporting tra fish and tilapia fillets to Brazil. According to him, this reflects significant progress in trade relations and cooperation, exactly the kind of advancement expected from a relationship with a close and brotherly country like Viet Nam.
Speaking at the Viet Nam–Brazil Business Forum, the Prime Minister stressed the complementary nature of the two economies that what Brazil lacks, Viet Nam has the potential to offer, and what Brazil excels in, Viet Nam needs. He called on businesses from both sides to concretise the excellent political and diplomatic foundation into practical economic initiatives, through enterprise connectivity and broader economic linkage, making the friendship, sincerity, and goodwill crystallise into tangible products and measurable results that benefit both nations. His message was met with enthusiastic applause from the business communities of both countries.
While on official duty in Brazil, especially during his visit to the renowned the Vasco da Gama Football Club in Rio de Janeiro, the Prime Minister shared his reflections that football philosophy is also a cultural philosophy of Brazil, which deeply resonates with Vietnamese culture’s values. It is a philosophy of constant attack, fierce competition, wholehearted dedication, with intellect, finesse, and passion. Fair competition and the pursuit of victory are essential, he noted, but they are not everything. What truly matters is the spirit of contribution, the joy of participation, and the importance of sharing.
Immediately after arriving in Rio de Janeiro, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse, and the high-level delegation of Viet Nam visited laid flowers at the plaque in commemoration of President Ho Chi Minh in Santa Teresa, where the Prime Minister joined the ribbon cutting ceremony for this symbolic site nearly eight months earlier, during his attendance at the G20 Summit. The site contributes to strengthening the deep bond of friendship between the two countries and peoples. From early in the morning, members of the Communist Party of Brazil gathered with Vietnamese and Brazilian flags in hand to welcome the Vietnamese Government leader.
Inacio Arruda and other Brazilian friends presented Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh with a modest yet deeply meaningful memento that features a handcrafted portrait of President Ho Chi Minh. It was made by Brazilian Communist Party members in the 1950s as a gesture of solidarity and support for the Vietnamese people. Deeply moved by the gift, the Prime Minister shared that he would bring this priceless artifact back to Viet Nam to be proudly displayed at the Communist Party of Viet Nam Museum which is being built in the near future.
In an atmosphere filled with warmth and camaraderie, the delegates joined hands and sang the iconic Vietnamese song “Nhu co Bac Ho trong ngay vui dai thang” (As If Uncle Ho Were Here on the Day of Great Victory). Their voices echoing with chants of “Viet Nam–Ho Chi Minh!”, “Viva Viet Nam!”, and “Viva Brazil!”.
