VCCI Secretary-General Tran Thi Lan Anh and Argentina's Deputy Minister of Economy, Mr. Augustín Tejeda Rodriguez

During the meeting, Ms. Tran Thi Lan Anh, Secretary-General of VCCI, expressed her appreciation for the strategic partnership with Argentina and emphasized the importance of deepening the Comprehensive Partnership between the two countries. She shared that, over more than 50 years of diplomatic relations (1973-2024), Vietnam has always valued cooperation with Argentina and is keen to further strengthen this relationship, particularly in the areas of economics and trade.

The Secretary-General highlighted that in recent years, bilateral trade has seen positive development, increasing from 316 million USD in 2007 to 4.8 billion USD in 2022. However, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and high inflation in Argentina, trade volume in 2023 decreased to 3.45 billion USD.

Secretary-General Tran Thi Lan Anh stated: "Vietnam has consistently had a trade deficit in its relationship with Argentina. Annually, we import about 2.5 billion USD from Argentina, primarily agricultural products such as corn, soybeans, and wheat, while exporting approximately 1 billion USD worth of electronics, footwear, and textiles."

The Secretary-General of VCCI also highlighted the important role of the cooperation agreements between VCCI and Argentine economic organizations, particularly the most recent agreement signed in April 2023 during the visit of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue. However, due to the impact of the pandemic and economic downturn, the Vietnam-Argentina Business Council, established in 2019, has not been able to implement its activities as planned. 

Secretary-General Tran Thi Lan Anh expressed hope: "We hope that in the near future, businesses from both countries will proactively connect and enhance cooperation in areas where both sides have advantages."

Additionally, Ms. Tran Thi Lan Anh emphasized Vietnam's strong desire for Argentina to support the initiation of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the MERCOSUR bloc, to facilitate the promotion of economic relations between the two countries and the region.

VCCI Secretary-General Tran Thi Lan Anh presents a gift to Argentina's Deputy Minister of Economy, Mr. Augustín Tejeda Rodriguez

In agreement with the VCCI Secretary-General, Argentina’s Deputy Minister of Economy, Mr. Augustín Tejeda Rodriguez, praised the close cooperation between the two countries. He shared that Argentina highly values Vietnam’s role in Southeast Asia and internationally, and emphasized that relations with Vietnam are a crucial part of Argentina's foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific region.

Mr. Augustín Tejeda Rodriguez also provided information about Argentina’s agricultural and industrial sectors, opening up business and investment opportunities with VCCI and the businesses present at the meeting. He affirmed that, despite Argentina facing significant economic challenges, including a record inflation rate of 211.4% in 2023, Argentina remains keen on maintaining and expanding economic cooperation with Vietnam.

Additionally, Mr. Rodriguez expressed optimism about the potential for cooperation in agriculture between the two countries. Argentina has opened its market to Vietnamese fruits such as lychee, dragon fruit, mango, and longan. However, he also noted that there are some quarantine issues still being discussed to reach an agreement.

Regarding regional roles, Mr. Rodriguez highlighted: “Argentina is a founding and active member of MERCOSUR, and we are always ready to act as a bridge between MERCOSUR and ASEAN. We need to strengthen relations between the South American and Southeast Asian regions, especially as MERCOSUR has signed a trade agreement with the EU and is expanding relations with Asia, with Vietnam being a key partner.”

The meeting between VCCI representatives and Argentina's Ministry of Economy demonstrated the commitment of both parties to enhancing trade and economic cooperation

The session between VCCI and Argentina’s Ministry of Economy not only reaffirmed the determination of both sides to advance economic collaboration but also highlighted the important roles of the ASEAN and MERCOSUR blocs. This is considered a solid foundation for developing bilateral relations and contributing to the sustainable development of both countries in the context of global economic integration.