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Vietnamese students welcome Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (Photo: SGGP) |
Before the welcome ceremony, President Tokayev and the delegation of Kazakh high-ranking officials paid a visit to President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and laid a wreath at the Monument for Heroic Martyrs in Bac Son Street, Ba Dinh District to commemorate national heroes.
This is the first visit of a Kazakh President to Vietnam in 12 years, and also the first time President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visits Vietnam in his new position.
The visit aims to mark 30 years of diplomatic ties. The two countries have currently many opportunities to lift their traditional friendship and cooperation to a new height.
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State President Vo Van Thuong (L) receives Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi on August 21 (Photo: SGGP) |
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At the receiving ceremony (Photo: SGGP) |
Vietnam and Kazakhstan established diplomatic relations on June 29, 1992. Since then, the two nations have maintained a traditional relationship and close cooperation, and mutual support and coordination at the UN as well as at regional and international forums.
Statistics show the bilateral trade turnover between Vietnam and Kazakhstan in 2022 was at nearly US$600 million, including Vietnam’s exports of goods that reached US$525 million. The two countries shared the goal of raising the bilateral trade to US$1.5 billion in 2023. In March, a delegation of Kazakh trade, economic organizations, and manufacturers arrived in Vietnam to learn about the investment environment and cooperation partners.
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| State President Vo Van Thuong (R) and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (Photo: SGGP) |
Vietnam is the first country to sign a Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) which has members, including Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Kazakhstan. The agreement opens a great opportunity for Vietnamese businesses in the EAEU market in general and the Kazakh market in particular. Kazakhstan is Vietnam's second-largest trading partner in the EAEU.
Bilateral trade turnover between Vietnam and Kazakhstan accounted for 10 percent of the total trade between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in 2021. The two countries also offered direct flights connecting the main cities of the two sides.
In September 2019, Kazakhstan launched a visa waiver program allowing Vietnamese citizens to enter the country and stay for up to 30 days.
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| At a meeting between top leaders of the two countries (Photo: SGGP) |
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| State President Vo Van Thuong speaks at the meeting (Photo: SGGP) |
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| Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev speaks at the event (Photo: SGGP) |
Vietnam and Kazakhstan have exchanged high-level delegations and meetings, including the visits by Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cam in February 1994, PM Vo Van Kiet in June 1994, PM Nguyen Tan Dung in September 2009 and May 2015, State President Truong Tan Sang in September 2012, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam National Assembly Uong Chu Luu in July 2013, Chairman of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Commission for External Relations Hoang Binh Quan in April 2017, Chairwoman of the Vietnam National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan in October 2017, Head of the Central Propaganda and Education Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam Vo Van Thuong in September 2019 and Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan in October 2022.
Kazakhstan delegation visits to Vietnam were led by former President Nursultan Nazarbayev in October 2011, Kazakh Parliament's Lower House Speaker Zhakupov Kabibolla Kabenovich in March 2015, Kazakh Parliament's Lower House Speaker Nurlan Nigmatulin in November 2019, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Mukhtar Tileuberdi in August 2022.
Vietnam and Kazakhstan have a mechanism for consultation and political coordination and conducted direct dialogues in 2005,2007,2009, 2011, 2012, and 2017, a virtual meeting in 2020, and a regional dialogue in June 2013.
