Prime Minister witnesses first shipment of pangasius, basa, and tilapia exported to Brazil

On July 5, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held an important meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, on the occasion of attending the BRICS Expanded Summit and conducting bilateral activities in Brazil.

The Prime Minister praised Brazil's increasing role in promoting global agendas and expressed confidence that Brazil would continue to assert its influence through major multilateral mechanisms as Chair of the G20 in 2024, BRICS, COP 30, and Mercosur in 2025.

Promoting agricultural trade

Regarding bilateral relations, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that the relationship between the two countries is developing very positively. Both sides have been actively implementing the Joint Statement issued during President Lula’s state visit to Vietnam in March 2025, along with the Action Plan for implementing the Vietnam–Brazil Strategic Partnership for the 2025 to 2030 period.

The two leaders agreed to continue coordinating the implementation of measures to strengthen bilateral ties within the framework of the Strategic Partnership. These measures include maintaining high-level contacts and exchanges, enhancing political trust, and effectively implementing important agreements already reached.

Both parties agreed to continue negotiating agreements on investment protection, double taxation avoidance, and visa facilitation for citizens of both countries.

Brazil affirmed its willingness to import more Vietnamese seafood and rice. At the Prime Minister’s proposal, the two countries agreed to sign an agreement to ensure stable and long-term food security for Brazil. Under this agreement, Vietnam will export rice to help stabilize Brazil's food supply.

The two leaders also agreed to promote cooperation in the coffee industry, support the establishment of a coffee production and export alliance, explore the formation of a coffee exchange, jointly build a coffee brand, and enhance the cultural value of coffee appreciation associated with each country's identity.

Accelerating the Vietnam–South America FTA

To further promote bilateral trade, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed that President Lula support the conclusion of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) in the second half of 2025, during Brazil’s tenure as Mercosur Chair. He also proposed a bilateral FTA between Vietnam and Brazil. President Lula welcomed the proposal and agreed that the Ministers of Industry and Trade from both sides should immediately begin discussions and closely coordinate with other Mercosur member countries.

The two leaders agreed to instruct their respective ministries to implement the specific outcomes of this meeting quickly. These outcomes aim to bring tangible benefits to businesses in both countries, particularly by accelerating market access for goods, agricultural products, and seafood amid ongoing complexities in global trade.

On international and regional matters, the two leaders emphasized the importance of strengthening coordination and cooperation on global governance, United Nations reform, poverty reduction, and climate change mitigation. They also agreed to continue supporting each other at international and regional forums, particularly at the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the Non-Aligned Movement, South–South cooperation, and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, and freedom of navigation and overflight in maritime areas, including the East Sea. This must be based on respect for the rights and interests of coastal states, in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

On this occasion, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh conveyed President Luong Cuong's invitation to President Lula to attend the Opening Ceremony for the Signing of the United Nations Convention on Cybercrime, scheduled to take place in Hanoi in October 2025.

Immediately following the meeting, the Prime Minister and the President of Brazil witnessed the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, Innovation, and Digital Transformation. They also attended the announcement ceremony for the first shipment of Vietnamese pangasius, basa, and tilapia fish exported to Brazil and the first shipment of Brazilian beef exported to Vietnam.

This meeting achieved concrete and practical results across many areas, especially promoting Vietnamese agricultural and seafood exports to Brazil, a key market of more than 200 million people in South America.