PM’s visit to Dominican Republic to cement ties

The visit, made at the invitation of Dominican President Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona and his spouse, marks the first by a Vietnamese leader to the Caribbean nation.

It comes at a time when both nations are preparing for the 20th anniversary of their diplomatic ties next year. The trip underscores Vietnam's unwavering commitment to deepening the solidarity, friendship and fruitful cooperation between the two countries.

Strengthening political-diplomatic ties

The roots of this robust relationship can be traced back to 1965 when President Ho Chi Minh met with revolutionary leader Juan Bosch, the first democratically elected President of the Dominican Republic. This pivotal meeting set the stage for an enduring bond that culminated in the establishment of ambassadorial-level diplomatic relations on July 7, 2005.

Over the past two decades, bilateral ties have blossomed across various sectors, including politics, diplomacy, trade, agriculture, culture and sci-tech. Significant milestones include the appointment of the Dominican Republic's first resident ambassador to Vietnam in October 2021 and the inauguration of its Embassy in Hanoi in February 2023. These have made bilateral ties more effective and substantive.

More recently, in July 2024, the Dominican Republic's National Congress established the Dominica-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group, which began operations on August 16, 2024. The first political consultation between the two foreign ministries took place in May 2014, further cementing the diplomatic bond.

The strong relationship between the Communist Party of Vietnam and political parties in the Dominican Republic, notably the United Left Movement (MIU), has fortified the political foundation for bilateral ties. Both nations have maintained mutual support and coordination at international organisations of which they are members, including the United Nations, the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), and the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Vietnam and the Dominican Republic have consistently backed each other's candidacies for international organisations. The Dominican Republic supported Vietnam’s successful bids for the UN Human Rights Council (2014-2016) and the UN Security Council (2020-2021), while Vietnam endorsed the Dominican Republic's candidacy for the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council (2013-2016) and the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) (2017-2019).

Economic-trade ties on the rise

Although the trade partnership currently represents a modest portion of each country’s overall trade volume, it has seen remarkable growth. Two-way trade surged from 36.5 million USD in 2013 to nearly 150.2 million USD in 2022, with expectations for continued expansion.

The Dominican Republic values Vietnam's achievements and its strategic role as a gateway to Southeast Asia and the broader Asian market. Its Government has expressed keen interest in boosting bilateral ties, particularly in promising sectors such as telecommunications (with Viettel), energy and oil and gas (with Petrovietnam), construction materials and industrial park development (with Viglacera), and electric vehicle distribution (with VinFast).

Both nations are capitalising on their shared interests and complementary strengths to enhance collaboration in sci-tech, agriculture and animal farming. A notable milestone was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in June 2024 between the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Dominican Ministry of Agriculture during a visit by its Minister Limber Lucas Cruz.

Several cooperation agreements have already been signed, including a visa waiver agreement for holders of diplomatic and official passports, a political consultation agreement between their foreign ministries, and a Letter of Intent on the signing of sci-tech and tourism cooperation agreements. Discussions are ongoing for agreements on tourism, investment promotion and protection, and sci-tech.

The Dominican Republic has been one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America and the Caribbean since 2010. Key sectors driving this growth include industrial infrastructure, mining, energy and oil-gas, tourism, agriculture, telecommunications, electric vehicle production and distribution, and digital transformation in finance and banking, all of which are prioritised for foreign investment attraction.

Recognising ample potential for cooperation, particularly in agriculture, tourism and sci-tech, both countries aim to leverage existing agreements to facilitate mutual market access, including in Asia and America.

Looking ahead, they committed to propelling trade and investment through fairs, exhibitions and investment forums to connect businesses and localities, share information on partnership opportunities, and stimulate growth in key sectors such as tourism.

Generating momentum for bilateral ties

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Thanh Binh said the visit underscores Vietnam's foreign policy of fostering friendship and cooperation with Latin America and the Caribbean for peace and development. It is expected to generate momentum for expanding bilateral economic, trade, and investment ties, especially in promising fields such as agriculture, industry, construction materials, export processing zones, energy-oil andgas, telecommunications and tourism.

According to him, recent years have seen positive developments in Vietnam-Dominica relations, with regular exchanges of delegations and vast opportunities for further collaboration across various sectors./.