Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit opens a new chapter for Vietnam-Estonia relations

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Finland and Estonia Pham Thi Thanh Binh. (Photo: VNA)

Ambassador, please tell us about the remarkable milestones in the relationship between Vietnam and Estonia after more than 30 years of establishing diplomatic relations. What are the remarkable characteristics of that relationship?

Vietnam and the Republic of Estonia established diplomatic relations in 1992. Over the past 30 years, despite the great geographical distance, the relationship between the two countries has been continuously strengthened and developed on the basis of friendship, mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation.

From November 6-8, 2011, Prime Minister of the Republic of Estonia Andrus Ansip visited Vietnam at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. This was the first visit to Vietnam by an Estonian Prime Minister since Estonia declared independence (in 1991). The visit not only strengthened the friendly relations, but also deepened the relationship between the two countries by enhancing specific cooperation in all fields.

In 2022, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son had a phone call with Estonian Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets, affirming the importance of the traditional friendship with Estonia, expressing his delight at the positive developments in the multifaceted cooperation between the two countries over the past three decades. The Vietnamese Foreign Minister invited the Estonian Foreign Minister to visit Vietnam with the hope of further promoting cooperation and development; especially increasing the exchange of delegations, especially high-level delegations.

Although the bilateral economic and trade cooperation between the two countries is still very modest, with a turnover of less than 100 million USD/year, the potential for cooperation is huge. Vietnam exports to Estonia many key products such as electronic equipment, textiles, seafood, footwear and wooden furniture.

According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, exports from Vietnam to Estonia in the first quarter of 2025 reached 12 million USD, an increase of 56% over the same period in 2024, while imports from Estonia were 5.8 million USD, an increase of 108.1% over the same period in 2024. Notably, during this period, the export turnover of Vietnam's agricultural products to Estonia increased dramatically by more than 100% compared to the first quarter of 2024.

For its part, Estonia has strengths in technology and innovation, making it a suitable partner for Vietnam to learn from and cooperate in the field of digital transformation. Estonia considers Vietnam a priority and potential partner in Southeast Asia, with advantages in technology, education and innovation. In early April 2025, the Vietnamese Embassy in Finland coordinated with the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to organize a market introduction workshop, attracting 150 delegates, demonstrating the growing interest of Estonian businesses in Vietnam.

Could you please evaluate the effectiveness of cooperation and coordination between Vietnam and Estonia in the international arena and in international organizations?

Vietnam and Estonia have close coordination and mutual support at multilateral institutions, within the framework of the United Nations, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), ASEAN-EU and other multilateral forums of which the two countries are members... on global issues such as sustainable development, cybersecurity, education and digital transformation. This close coordination was further affirmed during the time when both countries were non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-2021 term.

Estonia is one of the first EU members to ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), demonstrating its goodwill and desire to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam. Vietnam also asked Estonia to support the upgrading of Vietnam-EU relations, and to share experiences and coordinate in ASEAN-EU cooperation mechanisms in which both countries participate.

We expect the two countries to continue to strengthen coordination and support each other on international issues, including initiatives related to climate change, cybersecurity and digital transformation.

Against that positive background, how significant will the official visit of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh be in promoting bilateral relations?

The official visit to Estonia by the Prime Minister of Vietnam in 2025 is the first high-level visit by the head of the Vietnamese Government to this Baltic country since the establishment of diplomatic relations. The visit is not only politically and diplomatically symbolic, but also has important strategic significance for the Vietnam-Estonia bilateral relationship in the new period, opening a new development stage in bilateral relations on both government and business channels, bringing cooperation between the two countries into greater depth, practicality and effectiveness in key areas of the 4th industrial revolution.

During the visit, a number of cooperation documents will be signed, affirming a strong political commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and creating a new impetus for economic cooperation, digital transformation and education.

Could you please assess the prospects for developing relations after the visit?

I believe that this visit will create new momentum and open a new chapter for the Vietnam-Estonia bilateral relationship. With the political determination of the senior leaders and the growing interest of the business community, scholars and people of both countries, we can fully expect a creative, effective and future-oriented partnership.

Vietnam sees Estonia not only as a partner in the Baltic region, but also as an important bridge to access the EU market with its technological strengths. In return, Estonia can find in Vietnam a dynamic partner, a large market and a strategic gateway to Southeast Asia.

Thank you very much Ambassador!

Nhandan.vn

Source: https://nhandan.vn/chuyen-tham-cua-thu-tuong-pham-minh-chinh-mo-ra-chuong-moi-cho-quan-he-viet-nam-estonia-post884434.html