on the 30th founding anniversary of Vietnam-EU diplomatic ties.

President of the European Council Charles Michel (R) and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

In their letters, the two EU leaders applauded Vietnam’s swift and decisive actions to contain the spread of COVID-19, thereby successfully curbing the outbreak and minimising deaths. They also offered condolences to the families of victims in floods in central Vietnam last October and wished the injured to soon recover.

They held that over the last 30 years, Vietnam has witnessed many developments, from the implementation of the Doi moi (Renewal) policy; the normalisation of relations with the EU, the US, and China; and its joining in ASEAN to extensive structural reforms and the strategy for socio-economic development via global integration.

These have helped Vietnam become one of the fastest growing economies in the world, according to them.

Given the settlement of important global challenges requiring active participation of both Europe and Asia, the officials congratulated Vietnam on its constructive role as Chair of ASEAN in 2020.

The EU pledges to further intensify the EU-ASEAN cooperation and welcomes the official establishment of the EU-ASEAN strategic partnership at the ministerial meeting on December 1, Michel and Leyen noted.

Vietnam is also now an active member in the world, ready to assume growing international obligations, and share the EU’s strong commitment to multilateralism, they said, adding that the current pandemic is a global crisis that needs international solidarity and cooperation beyond territorial limits.

In their letters, the Presidents of the European Council and Commission said over the last three decades, the EU-Vietnam partnership has developed unceasingly, supported by important agreements covering different domains, from politics, trade, and defence to anti-illegal logging.

By jointly building a stronger partnership, the EU and Vietnam can together handle global challenges, and as a long-standing friend of Vietnam, the EU welcomes the two sides discussing difficult issues in an open, straightforward and constructive manner, they affirmed.

The officials noted the EU-Vietnam partnership is first and foremost for the sake of the Vietnamese and European people, and development cooperation will remain an important element in the EU’s commitment to Vietnam.

They expressed the willingness to enhance cooperation with Vietnam in dealing with major global challenges, thereby together contributing to peace and development in the world.

Michel and Leyen also said they hope to visit Vietnam at appropriate points of time./.VNA

EU-Vietnam relations: 30 years of enhancing partnership

In 1990, the then European Community and Vietnam established diplomatic relations. This was the official starting point for a relationship which has been developing from strength to strength ever since.