At the exchange to mark the 72nd anniversary of the National Day of Italy and the 45th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties. (Photos: VUFO)
The bilateral diplomatic ties were set up when Vietnam had not been completely reunified.
In the trying times, Italy stood side by side with Vietnam. The image of the ship Australe carrying goods that the Italian people presented to the Vietnamese people during wartime became a symbol of the solidarity and friendship between the two countries.
Vietnam-Italy ties are now in their prime. Notably, since a strategic partnership was founded in 2013, they have attained a number of important achievements in politics, economy, culture, society and people-to-people exchange.
Over the past years, the two countries have actively organised mutual high-level visits to intensify bilateral links and mutual understanding. In 2014 and 2015, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and President Sergio Mattarella of Italy visited Vietnam. They affirmed the determination to enhance multifaceted cooperation and that their country considers Vietnam as a priority to develop its relations with and also as a destination for Italian businesses in Southeast Asia.
Vietnam has shown its respect for the relationship with Italy through the official visits by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong in 2013, then National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung in 2014, then President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Nguyen Thien Nhan in 2015, and President Tran Dai Quang in 2016.
The bilateral trade has grown strongly, approximating USD 5 billion annually over the last five years. The figure is targeted at USD 6 billion in 2017 and 2018.
While cultural, tourism, scientific and educational relations have been expanded, locality-to-locality cooperation has also been promoted. With the wholehearted support of Italian people, the Vietnamese community in the country has also actively maintained and popularised Vietnam’s culture.
VIFA President Nguyen Van Nam at the event.
At the event, VIFA President Nguyen Van Nam expressed his delight at the strong growth and robust achievements of Italy in the past over seven decades to become an important member of the European Union (EU) and a proactive member of the U.N. and many other organisations.
The country has made significant contributions to the regional and global peace, development, and win-win cooperation, he highlighted.
He noted that the Vietnam-Italy cultural exchange centre (or Dante Alighieri centre), since it was established in Vietnam in 2006, has become an incubator for the Italian culture in Vietnam, hoping that training centres like this will promote their roles in enhancing cultural exchange and mutual understanding between the two peoples in the coming time.
Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Cecilia Peccioni. (Photo: PM/VNF)
For her part, Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Cecilia Peccioni affirmed that Vietnam has become one of the leading partners of Italy in the Southeast Asian region, across the fields of politics, economy, culture, education and training, and scientific research. Two-way trade hit nearly USD 5 billion per year.
The two nations have enjoyed close cooperation in the framework of the multilateral forums, particularly collaboration between the EU and ASEAN, she underlined.
Regarding education and training, the signing of 100 agreements between universities and training centres of both sides is vivid illustration for the huge cooperation prospects in the sector, she said, adding that students will help connect the two peoples and two economies in the future.
VUFO Vice President Bui Khac Son presents the medal ‘For the cause of Peace and Friendship among Nations’ to outgoing Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Cecilia Peccioni.
Later, Bui Khac Son, Vice President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) presented the medal “For Peace and Friendship among Nations” to the Italian diplomat in recognition of her contributions to promoting the two countries’ friendship and cooperation.
Cecilia also received a certificate of merit from the Hanoi University for her contributions to the bilateral education and training cooperation.
The exhibition “Vietnam-Italy in my eyes” is organised at the Hanoi University on the occasion./.
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