Vietnam and Argentina shape strategic roadmap for comprehensive cooperation in science and culture

Professor, Dr. Le Van Loi, President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Argentina to Vietnam Marcos Antonio Bednarski chaired the discussion. (Photo: KHAC KIEN)

Attending the event were representatives of the Central Propaganda and Education Commission, the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religions, the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, the Vietnam Federation of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), Mr. Duong Quoc Thanh, former Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina, businesses, universities, press agencies...

Speaking at the seminar, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Argentina to Vietnam Marcos Antonio Bednarski emphasized: “The seminar is an opportunity to introduce Argentina’s foreign policy priorities, strategic focuses, as well as the vast potential for bilateral cooperation. I hope that today’s seminar will open up new perspectives and contribute to promoting increasingly substantive cooperation between the two countries.”

Ambassador Marcos Antonio Bednarski also affirmed the strategic importance of bilateral relations and the desire to expand cooperation into the fields of knowledge, science and technology, considering Vietnam as a gateway for Argentina to access ASEAN.

Speaking at the seminar, Professor, Dr. Le Van Loi, President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS), affirmed: “Argentina is one of the first countries in Latin America to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1973, after the Paris Agreement was signed. After 52 years of formation and development, the relationship between the two countries has developed well in many fields such as diplomacy, economy, education, and culture. The two sides are also expanding cooperation in a number of new fields such as industry, high-tech agriculture, digital transformation, innovation, climate change response, sustainable growth, exchanges between localities, and moving towards considering establishing a strategic partnership framework in the fields of industry, agriculture, and energy. Not only that, through multilateral organizations, the two countries have supported and cooperated effectively with each other at forums such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation. (FEALAC) and South-South Cooperation…”.

On that basis, the two sides agreed on a cooperation roadmap focusing on three main pillars, expected to be implemented from 2026, including research cooperation and technology transfer; academic exchange and human resource training; and development of cultural and tourism exchanges.

At the seminar, Dr. Loc Thi Thuy, Institute for European and American Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, made a number of recommendations to contribute to promoting bilateral relations: Maintaining exchanges of high-level delegations and contact channels at many levels to enhance trust and mutual understanding; Promoting the effectiveness of existing cooperation mechanisms, while expanding cooperation in areas of both sides' strengths; Strengthening cultural and people-to-people exchanges; Promoting business cooperation, investment in information technology and human resource training.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Argentina to Vietnam Marcos Antonio Bednarski and Associate Professor, Dr. Ta Minh Tuan, Vice President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, chaired the Q&A session of the delegates. (Photo: KHAC KIEN)

At the seminar, delegates focused on discussing scientific and cultural cooperation, especially connecting research agencies and organizations such as: Academies, universities, research centers of Argentina with the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; Coordinating and organizing cooperation activities to make the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences an important connection channel between units, agencies, organizations, and enterprises of Vietnam with Argentina and vice versa. Currently, the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences is the only agency of Vietnam with a Center for In-depth Research on the Latin American region, including Argentina...;

The two sides need to regularly exchange delegations, experts, and lecturers to study, teach, and conduct research in each country to carry out joint research programs related to Vietnam and Argentina in a number of areas such as: society, culture, history, political institutions, traditional and non-traditional security, trade, investment, and business environment... These activities will contribute to promoting mutual understanding, creating a foundation for sharing positions at multilateral international forums, and strengthening connections between the two countries' business communities.

This seminar is not only an opportunity to look back at the friendly relationship between the two countries over the past time, but also a forum for managers, strategists, policy makers; experts, scientists, businesses, and practitioners of the two countries to better understand each other's foreign policies, to exchange, discuss, share experiences, and propose solutions to strengthen cooperation, contributing to developing the relationship between the two countries in all aspects and fields in more depth and substance, aiming to promote Vietnam and Argentina to cooperate closely in a number of areas of interest to both sides and where they can complement each other.

Vietnam and Argentina are promoting investment cooperation in mineral exploitation, lithium supply for green energy development, as well as liquefied gas from shale, and technology cooperation in green hydrogen production.

By August 2025, Vietnam's exports to Argentina will increase by more than 160% compared to the same period in 2024. Bilateral trade turnover will increase from 875 million USD in 2011 to 4.1 billion USD in 2024, an increase of 19% compared to 2023.

Argentina's exports to Vietnam reached 1.724 billion USD, up 16.3%, mainly livestock raw materials, corn, cotton, wood and pharmaceuticals. Argentina's imports from Vietnam reached 529 million USD, up sharply, focusing on phones, components, electronics, footwear and machinery.

Currently, Vietnam is Argentina's third largest trading partner in the Asia-Pacific region, while Argentina is Vietnam's third largest trading partner in Latin America.

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