Spanish Prime Minister encourages Vietnam to facilitate market access for Spanish poultry

Following the official welcome ceremony on April 9, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a talk with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at the Governmental Headquarters.

The two leaders engaged in a dialogue regarding critical areas of cooperation in a climate of mutual trust and transparency, with the objective of enhancing the Vietnam–Spain Strategic Partnership in a more substantive, effective, and deep manner.

In the fields of politics and foreign affairs, both parties reached an agreement to improve delegation exchanges and meetings at all levels, with a particular emphasis on high-level engagements across Party, State, Government, and National Assembly channels. The leaders committed to the effective implementation of existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms and the exploration of the creation of new mechanisms in specialized fields.

The two PMs requested that the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both countries continue to coordinate in the promotion of bilateral relations and to investigate critical areas of cooperation in order to elevate the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the near future.

PM Chinh underscored that the Vietnam Government was promoting the maximization of the motto "calm, composed, flexible, and creative," "avoid confrontation while remaining steadfast in dialogue," restructuring the economy in accordance with green, sustainable directions to take the initiative in responding, and enhancing the internal capabilities and resilience of the economy in anticipation of external developments that would affect the development situations in all aspects of Vietnam. This was before the current international economic developments.

Vietnam is implementing a series of financial and fiscal support policies, including credit support, preferential interest rates, reductions in fees, charges, and land taxes, as well as ensuring seamless infrastructure, transparent institutions, and smart governance, with respect to both domestic enterprises and foreign businesses investing in Vietnam, according to PM Chinh. The objective of these endeavors is to establish a strong foundation for foreign investors to operate in Vietnam for the long term by reducing input costs, enhancing the competitiveness of domestic enterprises, and maintaining a stable, safe, and transparent investment and business environment.

The Vietnamese PM also underscored that the country is prioritizing the diversification of markets, particularly potential ones, as well as the diversification of products and supply chains. This vision necessitates that both domestic and foreign enterprises enhance their competitiveness by actively investing in innovation, applying science and technology, and giving attention to copyright and intellectual property to improve productivity and product quality.

The two leaders reaffirmed that economic, trade, and investment cooperation is one of the primary pillars of the Vietnam–Spain Strategic Partnership.

In addition to convening the first meeting of the Joint Committee on Economy, Trade, and Investment in 2025, both leaders consented to the efficient execution of the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the bilateral Financial Cooperation Protocol just recently signed. The objective of these measures is to maximize the complementarities and potential of the two economies, with the objective of increasing bilateral trade turnover to over USD 8 billion in the near future.

The Spanish Prime Minister expressed his deep appreciation for the favorable opportunities for collaboration that will develop upon the official implementation of the EU–Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). He also pledged to offer his assistance in encouraging the remaining EU member states to expedite the ratification process. Additionally, he committed to advocating for the European Commission's prompt removal of the IUU "yellow card" on Vietnamese seafood.

The Spanish PM underscored the complementary nature of the two economies and suggested that Vietnam reduce non-tariff administrative procedures and open its market to Spanish agricultural and poultry products, thereby fostering balanced trade cooperation. On this occasion, the PM Sánchez expressed his gratitude for Vietnam's ongoing extension of visa exemption for Spanish citizens, which has facilitated the growth of tourism, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural connections between the two countries.

The two leaders reached an agreement to enhance their collaboration in a variety of sectors, such as education, culture, sports, and tourism; sustainable agricultural development; local-level partnerships and people-to-people exchanges; the development of high-quality human resources; and defense and security. There was a particular emphasis on the following: defense industry collaboration, counter-terrorism, combating transnational crime, United Nations peacekeeping operations, post-war recovery efforts in Vietnam, and cooperation in training and capacity-building for officers and law enforcement personnel. Additionally, they consented to intensify their collaboration in emerging and potential sectors, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, innovation, and digital transformation.

PM Pham Minh Chinh suggested that both countries investigate the feasibility of establishing a direct air route to facilitate the growth of tourist traffic between Vietnam and Spain. He also expressed his appreciation for the favorable results that have been achieved in bilateral cooperation regarding adoption.

The Spanish PM expressed his profound gratitude for the noteworthy contributions of the Vietnamese community in Spain to the socio-economic advancement of the host nation. He expressed his endorsement of the constant assistance and facilitation necessary to help the Vietnamese community effectively assimilate into Spanish society, thereby serving as a bridge to fortify the friendship between the two nations.

Both PMs emphasized the importance of adherence to international law, the promotion of multilateralism, and solidarity and cooperation in confronting global challenges at the multilateral level. They committed to maintaining close coordination and mutual support in international organizations and multilateral forums, with a particular emphasis on the United Nations and the ASEAN-EU framework.

The Spanish PM commends Vietnam's proactive contributions to the resolution of global issues in support of peace, cooperation, and development on this occasion. He also expressed his approval of Vietnam's hosting of the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G Summit) in April 2025 and verified that a representative from Spain would be present at the event.

Vietnam's Prime Minister, Pham Minh Chinh, reiterated his commitment to acting as a conduit between Spain and ASEAN in order to foster cooperation. He also expressed his optimism that Spain would contribute to the development of Vietnam's relations with the EU and Latin American countries.

Both parties agree on the significance of the South China Sea for international maritime navigation. They reaffirmed their support for the positions of Vietnam and ASEAN on resolving disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with international law – especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) – with a view to maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the region.

Following the talks, the two PMs witnessed the signing and exchange of cooperation documents in the fields of diplomacy, finance, culture and sports, agriculture, and education.