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Tuesday, 21 July 2020 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
State President Trương Tấn Sang (L) and Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa, Colombo capital 14 October 2011 – Pic by VNA
Vietnam and Sri Lanka are marking 50 years of diplomatic relations on 21 July with the longstanding friendship and co-operation between the two countries strengthened with high level visits, expanding economic links and people to people contact.
“Our longstanding relations have been based on friendship mutual understanding and co-operation,” Ambassador Pham Thi Bich Ngoc said.
“Vietnam looks forward to building on the strong foundation of the past five decades and advancing our friendship as we make economic progress and overcome new challenges in a rapidly changing world. Today the world is faced with an unprecedented challenge of coronavirus epidemic. Vietnam and Sri Lanka have both made strong gains in battling the virus. Our economic relations have rapidly grown in the last decade.”
Diplomatic exchanges
After establishing diplomatic relations with Sri Lanka on 21 July 1970 Vietnam opened its embassy in Colombo in 1971.
Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Van Dong paid an official visit to Sri Lanka on 2-3 March 1978, after Foreign Minister of the Republic of South Vietnam Nguyen Thi Binh visited Sri Lanka on 23-29 May 1976. Since then Foreign Ministers of the two countries have led delegations to strengthen relations.
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar visited Vietnam in 1999 and Foreign Ministers Tyronne Fernando visited Vietnam in 2002. In a second visit in 2003 Foreign Minister Fernando co-chaired the first Sri Lanka-Vietnam Joint Committee.
Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien visited Sri Lanka in 2003. Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama visited Vietnam in 2009, Foreign Minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris in 2012. In addition Sri Lanka’s Parliamentary speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara visited Vietnam in 2005 and Speaker Karu Jayasuriya in 2018.
A new chapter in Vietnam Sri Lanka relations opened with President Mahinda Rajapaksa visiting Vietnam in 2011. Vietnam State President Truong Tan Sang visited Sri Lanka in 2011.
In the same year Vietnam also re-opened the embassy in Colombo, which was temporarily closed in 1982. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe paid an official visit in 2017.
In 2013 Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh visited Sri Lanka and attended the inauguration ceremony connected to the unveiling of the statue of President Ho Chi Minh or Uncle Ho as he is affectionately known.
This is a reflection of the deep friendship that the people leaders of Sri Lanka and Vietnam share. As a key point in global trade and travel Uncle Ho is known to have visited Colombo several times when ships stopped to refuel and get food.
In his first trip abroad as a young man aboard the Amiral Latouche Tréville, he came to Colombo on 14 June. In June 1928 on the way from Italy to Thailand and in October 1946 on the way home after talks with France in Fonttennago he is recorded to have come to Sri Lanka. But there may have been unrecorded visits as well.
Growing economic ties
In recent years economic relations between the two countries have strengthened rapidly. After Vietnam started economic reforms in 1986, foreign investments and trade has grown rapidly.
By 2018 about $ 191 billion in investments had come to Vietnam. In 2019, $ 16.7 billion of new investments were approved.
Sri Lankan companies have also invested in Vietnam, in sectors such as apparels. By 2020 Sri Lankan companies with a capital of $ 76 million was in Vietnam. Vietnam companies have invested in hotels and construction in Sri Lanka.
In 2019 Vietnam exported $ 263 billion of goods, up 8% from a year earlier and imports were $ 253 billion.
Sri Lanka’s exports to Vietnam grew steadily from $ 72 million in 2015 to $ 100 million in 2018, but then reduced to 78 million in 2019. Vietnam’s exports to Sri Lanka had grown from $ 244 million in 2015 to $ 302 million in 2019.
People to people contact have also been growing. Tourists from Vietnam to Sri Lanka had grown from 1,798 in 2015 to 3,180 by 2019. Sri Lanka tourists to Vietnam had grown from 5,520 to 14,117 in the same period.
The two countries have established two bilateral cooperation mechanisms. The Joint Committee on Economy, Science and Technology (chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs) established in 2003 has met three times and Political Reference Mechanism was established in October 2011 has met twice.
“Based on the strong foundation laid in the past five decade and our shared aspirations to grow and improve the living standards of our peoples, we can look forward to greater economic and political relations in the future,” Ambassador Bich Ngoc said.
Sri Lanka and Viet Nam commemorate the 50th anniversary of their establishment of formal diplomatic relations on 21 July. Although only officially founded in 1970, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam’s deep-rooted relationship spans for several centuries.
Notably, the founder of modern Viet Nam; the late President Ho Chi Minh paid numerous visits to Sri Lanka in 1911, 1928 and 1946 on his way to Europe. President Ho Chi Minh was warmly welcomed by a nation that became one of the first to support Viet Nam in its struggle against French and US occupation, acting as a staunch ally.
Together, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam equally enjoy amiable ties in bilateral, regional and multilateral diplomacy. The cooperation between the two countries extends to wider areas of politics, trade, investment and economics, defence, culture, education, tourism, agriculture, etc. In addition, the Sri Lanka-Viet Nam Parliamentary Friendship Group maintains tight-knit cordial relations between the Parliament of Sri Lanka and the National Assembly of Viet Nam. This robust relationship is also marked by high level visits undertaken by leaders of both countries.
Furthermore, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam share close trade relations. The total trade volume of 2019 was $ 381 million where Sri Lanka imported goods/services worth $ 302 million in 2019 from Viet Nam and exported goods/services worth $ 79 million to Viet Nam.
With regard to investment, leading Sri Lankan apparel industry companies, such as Hidramani Group and MAS Holdings, have established factories in Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, etc. These factories have employed over 10,000 Viet Nam nationals. Sri Lankan cosmetics and perfumes producer Nature’s Secret also has its footprint in Viet Nam.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, while conveying his warmest greetings and felicitations on this important milestone to his Viet Nam counterpart, Nguyen PhuTrong Party General Secretary and President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, recalled the rich history of relations between the two countries, rooted in mutual trust, friendship and respect. President Rajapaksa also congratulated Viet Nam on its leadership of ASEAN as the Chair for 2020, non-permanent membership at the UN Security Council for the term 2020-21 and effective control of the nation’s COVID-19 condition.
Extending his compliments to Nguyen Xuan Phuc Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa recognised the shared values, deep sincerity and continuous reciprocity that have existed between the two countries through generations of leaders and peoples. Prime Minister Rajapaksa further congratulated Viet Nam on its tremendous achievements under the guidance of the Communist Party and its leadership during the last 90 years.
Minister of Foreign Relations Dinesh Gunawardenaalso commended his Viet Nam counterpart, Pham Binh Minh Deputy Prime Minister on this important milestone. Minister Gunawardena recalled the remarkable achievements of both countries during the last 50 years, giving prominence to Viet Nam’s productive contributions in regional and multilateral fora. He further stated that although the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented the two countries from celebrating this momentous landmark, he is confident that plans will be made to hold appropriate celebratory events in the year ahead.
Sri Lankan leaders also extended invitations to their Viet Nam counterparts to visit Sri Lanka during the celebratory year.
