Hanoi (VNA) - An international seminar highlighting cooperation and development of the Pacific Alliance was held in both in-person and virtual forms on November 3.

The event was jointly hosted by the Vietnam Institute of American Studies under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and the embassies of member countries of the Pacific Alliance in Vietnam such as Colombia, Mexico, Chile and Peru. 

The seminar offered a chance for entrepreneurs, researchers and scientists to share their viewpoints and recommendations to the Governments and relevant agencies of the countries so as to foster bilateral relations, said Assoc. Prof., Dr Nguyen Xuan Trung, Director of the Vietnam Institute of American Studies.

At the event, participants affirmed that members of the Pacific Alliance are important partners of Vietnam as their relations have been strengthened through visits and meetings on the sidelines of international conferences of high-ranking leaders. 

Economic and trade ties between Vietnam and the member countries of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru grew at an annual rate of 9 percent in the 2017-2020 period and neared 6 billion USD last year, accounting for half of the total trade value between Vietnam and Latin America.

Furthermore, Vietnam and those nations have forged partnerships in multiple fields such as science-technology, climate change, social protection, agriculture, tourism, urban infrastructure, transport, telecommunication, healthcare and education.

Vietnam and the Pacific Alliance members together take part in inter-regional mechanisms such as the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). 

In 2020, the Pacific Alliance helped Vietnam fulfill the role of ASEAN Chair amid the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two sides recognised the benefits of bolstering economic ties and promoting cooperation through the building of a new ASEAN-Pacific Alliance Work Plan for 2021-2023.

Dr. Le Cong Tien, Deputy Director of the Department of American Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that in the coming years, Vietnam will focus on developing comprehensively relations with member countries of the Pacific Alliance with more visits at all levels, improvements in cooperation mechanisms and legal frameworks.

Due attention will also be paid to economic, trade, tourism and investment relations, together with cooperation in culture, education and sports, and dealing with global challenges. 

Vietnam and other ASEAN members will promote ASEAN-Pacific Alliance relations, Tien said, appreciating the countries’ concerns about developments in Asia-Pacific and support for maintaining peace, stability, freedom and security of navigation and aviation, as well as international legal principles in the region with great importance to Pacific countries./.