State President Luong Cuong hosts official welcome ceremony for EC President António Costa

Dignitaries at the event include Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang, Chairman of the Presidential Office La Khanh Hai, Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang, Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung Deputy Minister of National Defense Nguyen Truong Thang, Deputy Minister of Public Security Dang Hong Duc, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Truong Thanh Hoai, Vietnamese Ambassador to the EU Nguyen Van Thao, and Assistant to the State President Duong Quoc Hung.

The official welcome ceremony was followed by a summit meeting between State President Luong Cuong and EC President António Costa.

During the summit meeting, the two leaders will review the outcomes of cooperation between Viet Nam and the EU and chart major orientations to further promote the bilateral ties.

EC President António Costa's two-day visit takes place at a critical time as Viet Nam has successfully organized the 14^th National Party Congress and Viet Nam and the EU marked the 35^th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations (November 28, 1990-November 28, 2025).

Speaking to reporters prior to the visit, EU Ambassador to Viet Nam Julien Guerrier noted that the EU highly values Viet Nam's decision to host the EC President shortly after the Congress, describing bilateral relations as having reached their most comprehensive and substantive stage following a 35-year journey. He said the partnership has evolved from humanitarian assistance in the 1990s into a multifaceted relationship, opening the door to a new phase of cooperation.

According to Ambassador Guerrier, the EU seeks to further strengthen three key pillars of cooperation with Viet Nam including trade, the green transition, and peace and security. The bloc also aims to expand collaboration in emerging areas such as digital transformation, innovation, and high-tech industries, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and critical resources.

The EU is currently Viet Nam's fourth-largest trading partner, third-largest export market, and fifth-largest import market. Viet Nam, in turn, is the EU's 16th largest trading partner worldwide and its largest partner within ASEAN. Official figures show that bilateral trade surpassed US$66.8 billion in the first 11 months of 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 6.6 percent.

In terms of investment, the EU ranks sixth among 140 countries and territories investing in Viet Nam, with total registered investment capital reaching US$30 billion. Viet Nam has invested in the EU, with 98 projects worth US$434.88 million.

The two sides have established an important framework for cooperation on climate change, notably through the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) with the G7 countries and the EU. The EU is considered as a key partner in assisting Viet Nam in achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, as pledged at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26)./.