The prime ministers of Spain and Vietnam have pledged to strengthen their economic ties and defense cooperation, while expressing support for preserving free trade. This was reported by the "Reuters" agency, News.bg reports.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is on an official visit to Vietnam in connection with the new tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. Both sides are seeking to limit the negative impact of the entry into force of 46% tariffs on Vietnamese goods and 25% on products from the European Union, which will be implemented from April 9.
At a joint briefing in Hanoi, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that his country wants to elevate relations with Spain to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership at the earliest opportunity. According to him, in the conditions of global instability, cooperation is more necessary than ever.
Pedro Sanchez, for his part, stressed that Spain is in favor of open economies and opposes trade conflicts. “Trade wars benefit no one and harm everyone”, he stressed. Sanchez added that Spain is interested in expanding its presence in Vietnam, especially in railway infrastructure, where it can share its experience in building a high-speed rail network.
Vietnam is planning major investments in this sector, including the construction of a 1,541 km high-speed railway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as international connections with China.
European Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič was also due to visit Vietnam and hold a press conference on April 11. However, the visit has been postponed due to "recent international events", the EU delegation in Hanoi said. The visit is expected to be scheduled for July.
Despite the postponement, the European Union's interest in strengthening trade relations with Vietnam remains unchanged, the statement said.