Havana (VNA) - The official visit to the Dominican Republic from November 19-21 by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse is of great significance, marking a big step forward in the two countries’ relations, and showing the importance the Southeast Asian nation attaches to the Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly the Dominican Republic, according to a diplomat.

In an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Havana, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba and the Dominican Republic Le Quang Long said that this is the first official visit by a Vietnamese Prime Minister to the Dominican Republic since the two countries established their diplomatic relations on July 7, 2005.

The bilateral relationship has made steady progress across various fields over the past 19 years. Chinh's visit is not only of political significance but also presents an opportunity to enhance cooperation in the areas of economics, culture, and sustainable development. This reflects Vietnam's determination to strengthen ties with the Latin American and Caribbean region for peace and mutual development, stated Long.

According to the diplomat, the trip comes at a time when both countries are striving for sustainable development. Vietnam is aiming to become a developed, high-income nation by 2045. Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic, under the leadership of President Luis Abinader and the new 2024-2028 Congress, is implementing strategies for sustainable socio-economic development, promoting economic diplomacy, and attracting investment. As the two countries look forward to the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2025, the visit will contribute to further solidifying their friendship and laying a strong foundation for realising the potential of bilateral cooperation.

The trip is expected to not only enhance bilateral political relations but also open up new opportunities for collaboration in the fields of economics, trade and investment, particularly in such areas as agriculture, tourism, energy, telecommunications, and infrastructure. On this occasion, the two countries will sign several cooperation agreements, thus creating a legal framework to further promote bilateral collaboration, stated Long.

Regarding the bilateral ties, the ambassador said that in 2023, the Dominican Republic opened its embassy in Vietnam, marking an important milestone in the development of bilateral relations. In July 2024, the Dominican Republic-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group was officially established, demonstrating the commitment of both sides to promoting legislative cooperation.

In the economic field, two-way trade reached 112 million USD last year. The two countries have also reached agreements on investment in industry, services and technology development.

In the cultural sphere, a statue of President Ho Chi Minh was inaugurated in Santo Domingo in 2013, while a statue of Dr. Juan Bosch, the first President of the Dominican Republic, was also placed in Hoa Binh (Peace) Park in Hanoi in 2018, symbolising the respect and affection between the two nations.

In the healthcare sector, Vietnam actively supported the Dominican Republic in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic and combating African swine fever. Vietnam sent technical teams to the country to provide guidance and assist in the vaccination campaign against this disease. These efforts have helped strengthen healthcare capacity and food safety in the Dominican Republic.

At international forums, the two countries frequently coordinate and support each other on global issues, such as environmental protection, responding to climate change, ensuring food security, and contributing to regional and global stability and sustainable development.

Ambassador Long went on to say that there remains an ample room for bilateral collaboration in the coming years. As one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America, the Dominican Republic prioritises attracting investment in areas such as infrastructure, agriculture, renewable energy, telecommunications, and digital transformation.

Vietnam and the Dominican Republic can strengthen cooperation in trade and investment by implementing existing agreements, particularly in agriculture, tourism, technology, renewable energy, resource exploitation, and telecommunications, he said, adding that the two countries also aim to increase bilateral trade to 500 million USD in the next 4-5 years by promoting investment cooperation and expanding markets for each other's key products. Vietnamese businesses investing in other Latin American and Caribbean countries can also seize the opportunity to access the Dominican Republic market and, from there, expand into other regional ones.

Additionally, the two sides can further enhance cooperation in healthcare, particularly in disease control and strengthening public health capacity. The exchange of medical experts and training collaboration will help improve the quality of healthcare systems in both countries.

In the fields of culture, education, and tourism, they can organise more cultural and educational exchange programmes and promote tourism destinations to deepen mutual understanding and strengthen ties between their people, suggested Long.

In the areas of science, technology, and the environment, the diplomat proposed the twꦏo nations promote the sharing of technologies related to renewable energy, telecommunications, and the implementation of environmental protection projects. They can also work together to enhance the management and sustainable use of resources, and collaborate on researching environmentally friendly technologies, improving water quality, and addressing the impacts of climate change, he added./.