Vietnam: Jussi Halla-aho, Speaker of the Finnish Parliament and a high-ranking delegation have started a three-day official visit to Vietnam after receiving an invitation from National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.
The representatives were welcomed at Noi Bai International Airport by Vice Chairman Le Anh Tuan of the NA’s Committee for Foreign Affairs, Finnish Ambassador to Vietnam Keijo Norvanto, and others.
The visit marks Halla-aho’s first trip outside of Europe since he assumed office. The Finnish politician’s decision to only visit Vietnam demonstrates the country’s remarkable place in Finland’s foreign policy. It also emphasises the strong companionship between the two legislatures.
The three-day visit carries the purpose of commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries (1973-2023). The visit is anticipated to enhance the cooperative associations between the two nations in different sectors, as stated by Don Tuan Phong, Vice Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Affairs of the National Assembly, before the visit.
According to the officials, during the past 51 years, Finland always sustained and extended their traditional friendship and cooperation with Vietnam while giving them much attention and support. Since establishing diplomatic relations, Finland continuously delivered non-refundable assistance to Vietnam with a priority on monetary, commerce, and investment cooperation.
The two-way trade increased steadily, reaching almost $380 million in 2023. However, this digit is still relatively small, particularly considering the implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) in 2020.
Phong said that Finland’s investment in Vietnam is currently ranked 58th out of 140 countries with 35 valid projects worth over $47 million, which is relatively low compared to Finland’s economic potential and strengths.
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