This was affirmed by Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa during the reception for Vietnamese Ambassador to Portugal Nguyen Manh Thang, who presented his credentials from President Luong Cuong.
During the meeting, Ambassador Nguyen Manh Thang conveyed greetings and best wishes from President Luong Cuong to President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
Affirming that Viet Nam always values its relationship with Portugal — one of Viet Nam's important partners in the EU — Ambassador Nguyen Manh Thang emphasised that the decision to open a Vietnamese Embassy in Portugal demonstrates the determination of high-level Vietnamese leaders to elevate bilateral relations, opening broader areas of cooperation, especially in fields of long-term importance.
Ambassador Nguyen Manh Thang stated that, in the coming time, to deepen cooperation between Viet Nam and Portugal, the Vietnamese Embassy in Portugal will prioritise promoting exchanges of delegations, especially high-level delegations, to increase political trust and create momentum for the development of cooperation between the two countries in all fields.
Ambassador Nguyen Manh Thang also emphasised the need to strengthen trade and investment cooperation, striving to increase bilateral trade to 1 billion USD per year from the current 700 million USD per year; promoting bilateral cooperation in renewable energy, innovation, infrastructure, etc.; fostering cooperation between localities of the two countries; and expanding cooperation in education and training, culture, sports, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.
Speaking at the reception, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa highly appreciated Viet Nam’s dynamic development, considering Vietnam a bright spot in economic development in the region.
Recognising Viet Nam as one of Portugal’s important partners in the Asia-Pacific region and within ASEAN, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa emphasised that the opening of permanent diplomatic missions in each country’s capital is a groundbreaking step, consistent with the potential and interests of cooperation between the two countries.
To further develop the bilateral relationship in a more comprehensive, substantive, and effective manner in the future, the Portuguese President requested the Vietnamese Embassy in Portugal, and Ambassador Nguyen Manh Thang personally, to promote cooperation between the two countries in the fields of maritime economics, science and technology, renewable energy, agriculture, etc. He also affirmed that Portuguese agencies will cooperate closely with the Vietnamese Embassy in Portugal in implementing the embassy’s priority tasks.
