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| Vietnamese Ambassador Bùi Văn Nghị (L) and Vice President of the Brazilian Senate Eduardo Gomes in Brasília on March 12. VNA/VNS Photo |
BRASILIA – Brazil highly values its expanding trade relations with Việt Nam, Vice President of the Brazilian Senate Eduardo Gomes has stated, proposing an exhibition on the Southeast Asian nation at the Brazilian Federal Senate.
During a meeting with Vietnamese Ambassador Bùi Văn Nghị in Brasília on March 12, Senator Gomes underscored the importance of raising Brazilian public awareness of Việt Nam and strengthening bilateral economic, trade, and cultural ties to match the strategic partnership established during Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính’s visit to Brazil in November 2024.
For his part, Nghị highlighted Brazil as Việt Nam’s largest partner in Latin America. Việt Nam currently imports soybeans, corn, and cotton from the country while exporting electronics, tires, clothing, and footwear.
There is a need to accelerate negotiations for a free trade agreement between Việt Nam and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), said the diplomat.
On the same day, Nghi met with Celso Amorim, Special Advisor to the Brazilian President, to discuss bilateral relations.
In a related move, on March 13, the ASEAN-Brazil parliamentary friendship group officially debuted at the Brazilian National Congress. Speaking at the event, Minister of Ports and Airports Sílvio Costa Filho said the Asian market is strategically important to Brazil, particularly in the fields of agriculture, animal protein, and technology.
Waldemar Oliveira, head of the friendship group, assessed that trade relations between ASEAN and Brazil create foundations for market diversification, reducing Brazil’s dependence on traditional economies, and strengthening its global position. While Brazil’s main exports to ASEAN currently include soybeans, coffee, beef, and chicken, he anticipated an increase in industrial goods and services trade in the future.
Việt Nam, officially joining ASEAN on July 28, 1995, has played an active and responsible role in shaping the bloc's strategic decisions so far. VNS