Alberto Rubio
The Ambassador of Vietnam, Hoang Xuan Ha, and the Spanish Secretary of State for Trade, Xiana Méndez, underlined the interest of both countries in strengthening and expanding bilateral relations, and also with the European Union, during the reception held to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the independence of the Asian country.
The reception was also attended by the Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sports, Ta Quan Dong, who made possible the participation in the celebration of Vietnamese musicians who performed several Spanish and Vietnamese pieces.
In his speech, the ambassador referred to his country’s economic progress since President Ho Chi Minh declared its independence 77 years ago. In this sense, he said that, despite having been a country battered by war, “it has become an emerging economy with political and social stability” in which “the lives of its people have improved, defence and security are guaranteed and foreign relations and international integration are deepening and extending”.
Hoang Xuan Ha stressed that Vietnam has maintained 7% growth annually over the past 35 years and “today is among the 40 fastest growing economies in the world and among the 16 most successful emerging economies”.
The Spanish Secretary of State for Trade, for her part, pointed out that “Vietnam is a key country in the Asian context, both for Spain and for the EU” and expressed the Spanish Government’s desire to “deepen our relations” at a time that coincides with the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Spanish embassy in Hanoi.
Xiana Méndez recalled that “Spain was the first EU country to raise the relations with Vietnam to strategic level“, thanks to the agreement signed in 2009, which “in the last five years has boosted a great advance in trade relations”, and the 2020 free trade agreement.
In the area of investments, both pointed out that they have grown notably and agreed that there are still many opportunities to be explored for companies from both countries in sectors such as water management, infrastructures and renewable energies.
Méndez, who used his speech to give as an example of cooperation the work of two Spaniards, “Diego and Laura”, who founded a fashion company in Vietnam, stressed the importance of the entry into force of the agreement on investment protection with the EU, which Spain has already ratified, but which is pending approval by several European parliaments.
