VGP – The visit of Nepali PM K P Sharma Oli and his spouse to Viet Nam from May 9-12 on the occasion of the UN Day of Vesak 2019 is expected to contribute to spurring friendship between the two nations in the future

The visit is made at the invitation of Vietnamese PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc. It takes place in the context of smooth developments in the traditional friendship between Viet Nam and Nepal, especially collaboration through the Party channel and economic-trade partnership. 

Cultural and tourism cooperation as well as people-to-people exchange have been strengthened, while the two sides have shown mutual support and collaboration at international forums, especially the UN.

Fine friendship

Viet Nam and Nepal set up their diplomatic relations on May 15, 1975 and have maintained sound relations in many areas. The two sides have regularly exchanged delegations in various scopes from politics to trade. 

Visits of Vietnamese senior officials to Nepal included those by deputy head of the Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission Pham Thi Hai Chuyen in 2009; deputy heads of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Pham Xuan Son in 2010 and Nguyen Huy Tang in 2014; Minister of Public Security Tran Dai Quang in 2014; Chief Judge of the Supreme People’s Court Nguyen Hoa Binh in 2017; and head of the National Assembly’s Defence-Security Committee Vo Trong Viet in March 2019.

Recently, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with Nepali PM K P Sharma on the sidelines of the WEF Davos this January. 

Over the past 44 years, Viet Nam has provided support to Nepal, including US$ 50,000 in aid to help it deal with earthquake consequences in 2015. Nepal has supported Vietnam in citizen protection. The two sides are working together on the signing of an agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders.  

The Viet Nam-Nepal Friendship Association was set up in September 2014, while the Vietnamese Honorary Consul General in Kathmandu was appointed in October 2016. 

The two counties have supported and collaborated with each other at multilateral and international forums. Nepal has backed Vietnam’s market economy and candidacy for the UN Human Right Council in November 2013, the UN Economic and Social Council, and the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure. 

Viet Nam has supported Nepal in running for a seat at the UN Human Right Council for the 2018-2020 tenure. Nepal is also one of the founders the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

However, economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and Nepal has remained modest. By September 2018, two-way trade reached only US$ 38 million. 

Viet Nam chiefly exported to Nepal black pepper and plastic products, while importing garment-textile materials, leather, and footwear. Currently, the Viettel Military Industry-Telecommunication Group is exploring investment opportunities in Nepal./.