Vietnam-Spain ties stand good chance to thrive further: Ambassador

Vietnamese Ambassador to Spain Hoang Xuan Hai (left) attends a forum on new business and investment opportunities in Vietnam for Spanish companies co-held by the Embassy of Vietnam and the Confederation of Entrepreneurs of Andalusia (CEA). (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Spain are standing a good chance to further develop ties, given that the EU-Vietnam Free TradeAgreement (EVFTA) took effect from August and the EU-Vietnam InvestmentProtection Agreement (EVPIA) has already ratified by Vietnam and is pending ratification in the EU, VietnameseAmbassador to Spain Hoang Xuan Hai has said.

Hai made the statement at a forum on new business andinvestment opportunities in Vietnam for Spanish companies co-held by theEmbassy of Vietnam and the Confederation of Entrepreneurs of Andalusia (CEA) aspart of his visit to the city of Sevilla, Spain’s Andalusia on November 8–9.

The ambassador highly valued the 44-year diplomatic relation and12-year Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Spain which has seen progressin multiple areas, particularly economics. He highlighted that bilateral economic ties havegrown remarkably, with two-way trade expanding to 3.25 billion USD in 2019 from650 million USD in 2009.

Despite COVID-19 impacts, the bilateral trade reached 2.3billion USD in the first nine months of this year, he emphasized, adding that Spainis running 82 investment projects, worth over 134 million USD, in Vietnam.

In a meeting with CEA President Javier Gonzalez de Lara ySarria, Hai said he wants to cooperate with the CEA to help Spanish firmsexplore opportunities in the Vietnamese market, especially in hi-techagriculture. His host, meanwhile, said it is the first economic forum onVietnam ever held by the CEA, describing it as a landmark milestone in thebilateral trade relations.

Nhập mô tả cho ảnhAmbassador Hoang Xuan Hai (fourth from the left) has a meeting with José Enrique Millo Rocher, Secretary General of Foreign Action of Andalusia (fourth from the right). (Photo: VNA)

The Vietnamese ambassador also had a meeting with JoséEnrique Millo Rocher, Secretary General of Foreign Action of Andalusia, during heheld that the economic ties between Vietnam and Spain, though growing, are yet to match both countries’ potential and advantages.

Vietnam treasures relations with Spain generally andAndalusia particularly so it has appointed an honorary consul at Sevilla, hestated.

The Spanish side highlighted that the EVFTA offers anopportunity for boosting the bilateral trade and investment and agreed tofurther bolster the ties in the coming time when the pandemic is brought undercontrol./.

VNA