Vietnam, Finland establish strategic partnership

This partnership builds on 52 years of friendship and multifaceted cooperation based on trust, equality, and mutual respect, aiming to deepen bilateral and multilateral ties for the benefit of both peoples, while promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in accordance with the UN Charter, international law, and principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-interference.

Both sides decided to further increase bilateral high-level visits and contacts across all channels between Authorities of Finland and the Communist Party, the State, the Government, the National Assembly, and local authorities of Vietnam in order to strengthen political cooperation and mutual understanding. The two sides are determined to establish an annual strategic consultation mechanism on regional and international issues, coordinate to address traditional and non-traditional security challenges, as well as to review and update on cooperation activities in bilateral relations, including discussions between both sides’ defense and public security sectors. They emphasized close cooperation in international and regional organizations supporting multilateralism, peaceful dispute settlement and adherence to international law.

Six key areas of cooperation under the strategic partnership are: political and diplomatic relations; economic, trade, and investment cooperation; science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation; education, training, labor, and development; agriculture, environment, energy, infrastructure, and transport; and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between localities.

General Secretary To Lam expressed gratitude for Finland’s warm hospitality and invited President Stubb to visit Vietnam. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of both countries will coordinate with relevant agencies to develop an Action Plan to implement the Strategic Partnership’s objectives.