Golden time for Vietnam, Argentina to accelerate investment and trade

Opening the seminar, Mr. Marcos A. Bednarski, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Argentine Republic to Vietnam, affirmed that Vietnam is an important partner of Argentina. The two countries have maintained a Comprehensive Partnership since 2010, with bilateral trade reaching 4 billion USD in 2024. According to statistics from the Vietnam Department of Customs, Argentina’s exports to the Vietnamese market increased by 40.4% during the period from January to April 2025, while Vietnam’s exports to Argentina rose by 316% compared to the same period in 2024. Total bilateral trade grew by 67.1%.

Ambassador Bednarski highlighted that Argentina is currently entering a promising phase of economic growth under the leadership of President Javier Milei. The government has implemented robust reforms, including substantial cuts to public spending, deregulation efforts, reductions in import tariffs, and the opening of markets. These measures are expected to provide strong impetus for enhanced cooperation in public and agricultural sectors and to diversify bilateral trade between the two nations.

“We are at the beginning of a new era, with many positive signals for the economy and prospects for bilateral cooperation. Therefore, the business communities of both countries need to seize this favorable opportunity to invest, diversify trade, and fully exploit the complementary potential between our two economies. With these expanding opportunities, we look forward to entering a new phase of deeper and more effective development together with our Vietnamese partners,” said Marcos A. Bednarski.

Speaking at the seminar, Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh, Vice President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), emphasized that Vietnam, with a population of 100 million and a strategic location in Southeast Asia, serves as a gateway to the ASEAN market for Argentine businesses; conversely, Argentina acts as a bridge for Vietnamese enterprises to access the Mercosur market. To seize these opportunities, he proposed that businesses from both countries need to be proactive, innovative, and strengthen connections, especially in sectors such as clean agriculture, high technology, clean energy, logistics, and education.

On the government side, Mr. Vinh called for accelerating negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and Mercosur, as well as between ASEAN and Mercosur, to establish a favorable legal framework for economic cooperation.

“VCCI is committed to continuing its role as a bridge to support businesses from both countries in strengthening relations, promoting effective investment, and contributing to deepening Vietnam–Argentina ties in the coming time,” said Vice President Nguyen Quang Vinh.

Speaking to the press ahead of the seminar, Mr. Agustín Tejeda Rodriguez, Undersecretary of Food Markets and International Integration at the Ministry of Economy of the Argentine Republic, stated that in addition to technical cooperation in the public and agricultural sectors, Argentina plans to introduce a new cooperation roadmap related to animal and plant quarantine. A highlight of this initiative is the foot-and-mouth disease vaccine project. an area of Argentina’s expertise.

“In the near future, Argentina will promote cooperative projects in the fields of fruit crops, rice, dairy, and biotechnology, aiming to expand exports of key agricultural products such as corn, oilseeds, and soybeans to the Vietnamese market. As a pioneer in applying advanced technology in agriculture and sustainably exploiting natural resources, Argentina will be a potential partner in developing modern, efficient, and sustainable agricultural models in Vietnam,” said Agustín Tejeda Rodriguez.

The seminar was attended by numerous Argentine businesses operating in the food and beverage sector, along with key organizations such as the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange, the Poultry Processing Business Center (CEPA), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Oil Processing and Grain Export Center (CIARA - CEC), the Argentine Meat Processing Industry Federation (FIFRA), and the Argentine Beef Promotion Institute (IPCVA).

As part of the program, organizations like FIFRA and CIARA - CEC delivered in-depth presentations on Argentina’s meat processing and grain industries, while also sharing the potential for exporting high-quality agricultural products to the Vietnamese market.