Officials of the Vietnamese Embassy in the Philippines are key to bolstering bilateral economic, trade, and business relations between the two nations, National Assembly’s chairman Vuong Dinh Hue has said.

Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue meets officials of the Vietnamese Embassy in the Philippines on November 24. Photo: Vietnam News Agency

At his visit to the Vietnamese Embassy in the Philippines, Hue said that the trade counselor of the embassy must detect and resolve the issues arising in bilateral economic and trade relations.

The national assembly chairman said that each embassy official needs to propose feasible measures to the Government to take the Vietnam-Philippines relationship to higher levels.

Chairman Hue commended the embassy for accomplishing assignments despite having encountered a lot of adversities in recent years.

He also asked the embassy officials to promote Vietnam’s strategic relationship with the Philippines through discussions and exchanges at all levels.

Vietnam and the Philippines are strategic partners in the ASEAN. However, bilateral trade has not reached its full potential, Hue said.

According to the chairman, bilateral trade amounts to US$7 billion. The two nations expect the figure to reach US$10-15 billion in 2026 on the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-Philippines diplomatic relation.

Hue also urged the embassy to develop a database of Vietnamese expats and assist in establishing Vietnamese associations in the Philippines.

The embassy must support local Vietnamese to resolve their issues in accommodation, business operation, and study, and maintain and promote Vietnamese traditions in the Philippines, Hue said.

According to Ambassador Hoang Huy Chung, the Philippines is a large market in the region with a large population, making it favorable for Vietnamese rice exports.

The ambassador hoped Vietnamese enterprises would seize the opportunity to boost agricultural exports to the country, especially high-tech farm produce.

National Assembly’s chairman Vuong Dinh Hue is in the Philippines on an official visit to the country at the invitation of President of the Philippine Senate Juan Miguel Zubiri.

Hue is also the first Vietnamese high-ranking official to visit the Philippines in 2022 and the first National Assembly chairman to visit the country since 2006. He has held meetings with high-ranking Philippine government officials, attended the Vietnam-Philippines Investment and Trade Forum, and had discussions with Philippine corporations.