According to Professor Pietro Masina, University of Naples “L’Orientale” and Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of East Asian Studies, the establishment of diplomatic relations between Italy and Vietnam provides a destination, not just a starting point, for the relationship.  Since the two countries upgraded the relationship to a strategic partnership in 2013, cooperation has grown in all aspects. In particular, exchanges between friendship associations and sub-associations of the two countries are bricks providing a solid foundation.  Two-way trade turnover reached only 1.4 billion USD in 2013 and then 6.2 billion USD in 2022. Vietnam is currently Italy’s largest trading partner in ASEAN, while Italy is Vietnam’s fourth-largest EU partner. In addition to outstanding economic and political achievements, cooperation in the fields of culture, education, science and technology, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges continue to develop, contributing to boosting mutual understanding and bringing the two countries closer together./.