Vietnam, Poland Establish Strategic Partnership, Target $6 Billion in Bilateral Trade by 2030

Hanoi, The Gulf Observer: Vietnamese Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng and his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk held talks in Hànội on Monday, agreeing to elevate bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership and strengthen cooperation across trade, investment, education, defence, science and technology, and other key sectors.

During the talks, PM Hưng described Việt Nam and Poland as traditional friends with more than 76 years of friendship and multifaceted cooperation. He expressed Việt Nam’s gratitude for Poland’s valuable support during its struggle for independence and national reunification, as well as its ongoing socio-economic development.

He reaffirmed Việt Nam’s commitment to strengthening ties with traditional partners, identifying Poland as one of its priority partners in Central and Eastern Europe. He said PM Tusk’s visit was significant in opening a new phase in bilateral relations.

PM Tusk praised Việt Nam’s socio-economic achievements, rapid economic growth and expanding international role, describing the country as an example of development driven by diligence, creativity and intellectual capacity. He reaffirmed that Việt Nam was Poland’s leading partner in Southeast Asia and one of its most important partners in Asia.

The Polish prime minister also congratulated Việt Nam on its achievements under the Đổi mới (Renewal) process and expressed confidence that the country would achieve the development objectives set by its 14th National Party Congress, including its target of double-digit economic growth in the coming years.

Strengthening political and economic cooperation

The two leaders welcomed progress in bilateral relations, particularly stronger political and diplomatic ties and growing mutual trust. They agreed to maintain regular exchanges of delegations and high-level contacts, enhance existing cooperation mechanisms, and ensure effective implementation of agreements reached during official visits.

Both sides pledged to resume meetings of the Việt Nam–Poland Intergovernmental Committee for Economic Cooperation and continue regular political consultations at the deputy foreign minister level.

On trade and investment, the prime ministers noted that bilateral trade reached nearly US$4 billion in 2025, representing an increase of 14.8 per cent compared with 2024. Acknowledging further growth potential, they agreed to work towards increasing bilateral trade to US$6 billion by 2030.

They also agreed to capitalise on their respective positions as gateways to the European Union and ASEAN markets, while facilitating greater market access for businesses from both countries.

Priority areas for investment and commercial cooperation include railways, aerospace, information technology, cybersecurity, processing and manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals. The leaders also highlighted the importance of developing flagship investment projects in both countries, citing FPT Software’s investment in Poland as a notable example.

The two sides welcomed the resumption of direct flights between Việt Nam and Poland by LOT Polish Airlines, recognising the importance of improved connectivity in supporting trade, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

PM Hưng thanked Poland for ratifying the EU–Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and urged Warsaw to encourage the remaining EU member states to complete the ratification process. He said the agreement would help establish a transparent and stable investment environment for businesses on both sides.

He also called on Poland to support the European Commission in removing the yellow card imposed on Vietnamese seafood exports and to facilitate greater access for Vietnamese agricultural, forestry and fishery products, seafood, wooden furniture, textiles, garments and footwear to the Polish and wider European markets.

Broader cooperation across strategic sectors

The two prime ministers agreed to expand cooperation in defence and security, combating transnational crime, cybersecurity, renewable energy, science and technology, education and training, culture, sports, tourism, agriculture, healthcare, climate change response and the green transition.

They also underscored the importance of facilitating travel between the two countries to strengthen commercial links, tourism and people-to-people contacts.

Discussing community ties, PM Hưng expressed hope that Poland would continue providing favourable conditions for Vietnamese nationals to settle, integrate into Polish society and contribute to the country’s development, while serving as a bridge between the two peoples.

PM Tusk thanked Việt Nam for preserving a memorial to Polish architect Kazimierz Kwiatkowski, widely known as Kazik, who made significant contributions to the conservation of cultural heritage in Huế, Mỹ Sơn and Hội An.

Both sides welcomed initiatives to strengthen cooperation between their localities, noting that closer regional partnerships could promote mutual understanding and deepen ties between their peoples.

Shared positions on regional and international issues

The two leaders exchanged views on regional and international developments and reaffirmed their commitment to resolving disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law and the United Nations Charter.

They stressed the importance of respecting the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, refraining from the threat or use of force, and taking into account the legitimate interests of all parties concerned.

The prime ministers also pledged to continue close coordination and mutual support at international forums and organisations, particularly the United Nations, ASEAN–EU and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).

Regarding the East Sea, internationally known as the South China Sea, the two sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight.

They supported the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They also called for the full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

Strategic Partnership agreement and new cooperation documents

Following the talks, Việt Nam and Poland agreed to adopt a joint statement establishing a Strategic Partnership and an action plan to strengthen bilateral cooperation for the 2026–2030 period.

In the presence of the two prime ministers, officials also exchanged a cooperation agreement between Việt Nam’s Ministry of Education and Training and Poland’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education covering higher education and scientific research.

Additionally, the two countries exchanged a memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation between Việt Nam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Poland’s Ministry of Sport and Tourism.

At the conclusion of the meeting, PM Tusk invited PM Hưng to pay an official visit to Poland. The Vietnamese prime minister welcomed the invitation, and the two sides agreed to arrange the visit at a mutually convenient time.