Swiss Ambassador of Switzerland to Vietnam Ivo Sieber (Source: Swiss Embassy in Vietnam)On the occasionof the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations (October 11,1971 – 2021), the Ambassadorof Switzerland to Vietnam, Ivo Sieber, has written an article on the 50 years of Swiss-Vietnamese diplomatic relations.
The following is the full text of the article.
“With the formal establishment of diplomatic relationson the 11th October of 1971, prospects of how Viet Nam andSwitzerland would henceforth cooperate were lifted to a new level. It is hardlyan exaggeration to say that not even the most daring visionaries could havepredicted the quality and intensity of our relations today.
Early Swiss-Vietnamese relations date back to thesecond half of the nineteenth century, with Swiss trading companies, such asDiethelm and Biedermann, laying the ground work for relations beyond business.While most Swiss then living in Viet Nam were engaged in trade, engineering oragriculture, the country also attracted travellers, adventurers and explorers.Clearly the best known among them is Swiss-born bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin.His curiosity and vigour opened new areas of science, healthcare andagriculture for Viet Nam and left a vivid legacy that still prevails today. Notleast his discovery of the pest bacillus had lasting impacts beyond Viet Nam.
Photo of the very first Swiss Embassy in Vietnam (1973-76). (Source: Metropole Hotel in Hanoi)In 1954, Switzerland hosted the Geneva Conference onIndochina. With its neutral status, Switzerland enabled the first foray by theDemocratic Republic of Viet Nam into multilateral diplomacy.
The next key moment, which we commemorate today,happened 50 years ago. In 1971, Switzerland became one of the first Westerncountries to establish diplomatic relations with Viet Nam. While the Treaty concludedon 11 October 1971 initiated formal diplomatic relations, a first Swiss Embassywas opened at the Metropole Hotel in Ha Noi in 1973. A plaque where the Embassyoffices were located serves as testimony, while accounts of former colleaguesrecall the challenges of operating a diplomatic mission at a time when Viet Namwas still embroiled in the troughs of war.
After 1975, numerous Swiss nationals and wellestablished Swiss companies, such as Nestlé or Ciba-Geigy, international tradingcompanies, the Federation of Swiss Watch Manufacturers and the SwissAssociation of Machinery Manufacturers maintained their presence in Viet Nam,along with diplomatic and humanitarian activities.
The steady commitment and belief in Viet Nam set thebasis for bilateral relations to broaden and intensify from 1990 onwards. VietNam’s economic reforms and rapid integration into the world economy from 2000onward further facilitated the strengthening of Vietnamese-Swiss relations,leading to the opening of a Swiss Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City in2015. On its side, Viet Nam inaugurated a Consulate in Geneva in 1984 andelevated it to the rank of a Consulate General and UN Mission 10 years later.In 2000, Viet Nam opened an Embassy in Berne; this diplomatic presence wasfurther extended this year with a new honorary consulate covering the cantonsof Zurich and Zug. High-level visits in both directions, including during thisjubilee year, are another regular feature of the past decades of cooperation.
Over the past 50 years, relations evolved, broadened anddeepened. Cooperation initially strongly focused on humanitarian anddevelopment assistance. Over the course of the past 3 decades, the Swissgovernment provided more than Swiss Francs 600 million (VND 15 trillion) tosupport Viet Nam’s socio-economic development. The Swiss Agency for DevelopmentCooperation SDC had a permanent presence in Hanoi since 1991 and was joined 4years later by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO. While SDC’s engagementwas phased out in 2016, SECO’s program was stepped up, with the latestfour-year program 2021-2024 launched during the official visit to Hanoi ofSwiss Vice-President Ignazio Cassis.
Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (R) welcomes Swiss Vice President and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis in Hanoi on August 5, 2021 (Photo: VNA)Today, cooperation by private companies from bothcountries has taken the lead role and is now the main driver of economicdevelopment. Viet Nam also benefits from an annual trade surplus of over SwissFrancs 2 billion (VND 50 trillion). With over 100 Swiss companies present in Viet Nam and some 20’000 jobs createdin Vietnam, Swiss direct investments in Viet Nam currently amount to aroundSwiss Francs 2 billion (VND 50 trillion). The potential for more Swissinvestments is sizable, as Switzerland is ASEAN’s 9th largestforeign investor, but so far only ranks 19th in Viet Nam. With this positiveoutlook, both Viet Nam and Switzerland – together with partners of the EuropeanFree Trade Association EFTA – are redoubling efforts for the conclusion of a progressiveFree Trade Agreement that will boost benefits for all parties. Last month’smeeting between Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Swiss President GuyParmelin on the side-lines of the 76th UN General Assemblyunderscored this commitment.
Commemorating 50 years of diplomatic relations is animportant moment for any two countries. Viet Nam’s and Switzerland’saccomplishments achieved over the past half century underscore the strength ofthis partnership as well as the trust and commitment for the future. Nextmonth’s inauguration of the Swiss designed “Geneva Conference Room” at theDiplomatic Academy of Viet Nam bestowed by the Swiss government is not only asymbol of this year’s commemoration, but also a promise for the future. Our twocountries’ history augurs well, and I am confident that the next 50 years ofVietnamese-Swiss relations will continue to be strong, mutually beneficial andsuccessful.”/.
VNA
