Opening up a new direction for cooperation between Vietnam and Spain

(Chinhphu.vn) - Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc's attendance at the 4th International Conference on Finance for Development and working visit to Spain is not only an opportunity to increase contact between Vietnamese leaders and Spanish leaders and businesses, but also opens up a new direction for cooperation between the two countries.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc's attendance at the 4th International Conference on Finance for Development and working visit to Spain is not only an opportunity to increase contact between Vietnamese leaders and Spanish leaders and businesses, but also opens up a new direction for cooperation between the two countries.

On the occasion of Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc's attendance at the 4th International Conference on Finance for Development and working visit to Spain, Vietnamese Ambassador to Spain Doan Thanh Song gave an interview to the press about the working trip.

From June 30 to July 3, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc will attend the 4th International Conference on Finance for Development and pay a working visit to Spain. Could you please tell us the purpose, meaning and importance of the working trip?

Ambassador Doan Thanh Song: At the invitation of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, authorized byPresident Luong Cuong, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc will lead a Vietnamese delegation to attend the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development of the United Nations (FfD4), participate in many conference activities held in Seville, Spain and pay a bilateral visit to Spain from June 30 to July 3, 2025.

The working trip is an important step in concretizing the policy of raising the level of multilateral diplomacy, with Vietnam proactively participating in international financial institutions, wishing to contribute and create a new global financial framework, and working with other countries to find solutions to mobilize resources for the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Participation also demonstrates Vietnam's strong commitment to achieving the SDGs, helping Vietnam access substantial resources, increase ODA and effectively mobilize private capital.

On the bilateral front, the trip took place right after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited Vietnam in April 2025, which has special significance, contributing to the implementation of the Joint Statement between the leaders of the two countries during the visit, promoting economic cooperation, finance, infrastructure, rail transport, logistics, urban planning, green energy, renewable energy, digital transformation, marine economy, agricultural and food processing, tourism... with specific and substantive contents, aiming to bring relations with Spain to a new level at the right time.

The trip is not only an opportunity to increase contact between Vietnamese leaders and Spanish leaders and businesses; but also opens up new directions for cooperation between the two countries.

This is the second time in many years, since the visit of former President Nguyen Minh Triet in 2009, that Vietnamese leaders have met with the President of Catalonia, the second largest northeastern economic region in Spain, to promote cooperation not only at the central level but also at the local level.

How is Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc expected to participate and contribute to the FfD4 Agenda?

Ambassador Doan Thanh Song: FfD4 is the leading multilateral conference in the field of development finance, with the participation of more than 60 Heads of State, Senior Leaders of countries, international organizations, with about 10,000 attendees.

The conference is expected to create an important step forward in implementing a new global financial framework, promoting resource mobilization for developing countries to achieve SDGs, reforming the international debt system, expanding the scale of investment to narrow the financial gap for sustainable development...

At FfD4, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc will deliver important speeches at plenary sessions and participate in a roundtable discussion on "New vitality for international development cooperation"; conveying the message of a proactive, positive, and responsible Vietnam, contributing to multilateral cooperation, participating in reforming the global financial system, and determined to take action to implement the SDGs through specific commitments.

Ambassador Doan Thanh Song

Could you please share with us the positive development of Vietnam - Spain relations recently and the potential for cooperation in the future?

Ambassador Doan Thanh Song: First of all, it is necessary to reiterate that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's visit to Vietnam in April 2025 was the first visit by the head of the Spanish Government since the two countries established diplomatic relations, helping to open a new, extensive, substantive and effective development phase for the bilateral relationship.

Economy, trade and investment are one of the important pillars in the Vietnam - Spain Strategic Partnership.

In addition to strengthening cooperation in the fields of defense - security, agriculture, education - training..., the two countries are currently making efforts to promote the expansion of cooperation to potential areas such as innovation, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, digital transformation, renewable energy, transport infrastructure, railways and urban railways, seaports, aviation - areas of strength of Spain and demand of Vietnam; cultural and tourism cooperation as the number of Spanish tourists to Vietnam is increasing.

The two sides are pushing to hold the first meeting of the Joint Committee on Economy, Trade and Investment in 2025 to exploit the potential and complementarity of the two economies. Vietnam is also pushing to send a working group to Spain to learn from experience and enhance cooperation in developing transport infrastructure.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc's visit to Spain this time will focus on promoting the exploitation of cooperation potentials in the relationship between the two countries.

Firstly, the Deputy Prime Minister will attend and speak at the Roundtable Discussion between Vietnamese and Seville businesses and the Vietnam - Spain Business Forum in Barcelona, ​​connecting businesses and promoting economic and investment cooperation between the two countries.

Seville and Barcelona are two locomotives of economic development in Spain, especially in the fields of innovation, industry (aviation, renewable energy, biotechnology, food, chemicals, automotive manufacturing), finance, services, high-tech agriculture, logistics, "smart tourism", "smart cities" with digital networks and environmental priorities...

Second, Vietnam and Spain both have long coastlines and have the potential to develop seaports. This is a potential for cooperation that we can exploit, learn from, and build and manage seaports as Barcelona port is the main port in the Mediterranean, ranked among the top in Europe in terms of both goods and sea tourism; there is a transportation system connecting seaports, roads, railways, and air routes with the whole of Europe. El Prat airport serves nearly 900 flights/day. Trade through Barcelona port accounts for 23% of Spain's maritime trade value.

Third, tourism is also a strength of Spain that Vietnam needs to promote cooperation and learn from. Along with many other reforms, the tourism industry is one of the important factors that has helped Spain become the economic locomotive of Southern Europe in recent years.

As one of the two countries that attract the most tourists in the world, contributing 248 billion Euros to GDP, accounting for 15.6% with 126 billion Euros USD in foreign currency revenue from international tourists, the tourism industry is truly not only an important economic support but also a driving force for economic growth for Spain.

In addition to natural advantages such as rich and diverse tourism resources, with a rich history, culture, art, cuisine and heritage; Spain has a comprehensively developed transportation infrastructure - tourism services system with an effective national promotion strategy, sustainable tourism, smart tourism... In which, Barcelona is ranked as the leading Smart Tourism Destination in 2022.

Fourth , financial cooperation, FinTech, and sustainable financial development are also potentials that Vietnam prioritizes promoting during this visit.

As the fourth most attractive city in Europe for FinTech thanks to its friendly ecosystem, reasonable costs and being in the top 5 strongest startup hubs in Europe, Barcelona is positioned as a modern, innovative and sustainable financial center of Europe.

Based on Vietnam's advantages, potentials, needs and determination to build and develop effective international financial centers, this will also be an area of ​​strong cooperation between the two countries in the coming time./.

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/mo-ra-huong-phat-trien-moi-cho-hop-tac-giua-hai-nuoc-viet-nam-tay-ban-nha-102250628202445938.htm