According to the VNA special correspondent, on the morning of June 13 (local time) in Stockholm, as part of his official visit to Sweden, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính held talks with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson welcomed Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, his spouse, and the high-level Vietnamese delegation on their official visit to Sweden and expressed confidence that the visit would create new momentum for further strong development of bilateral relations between Vietnam and Sweden.
Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính sincerely thanked the Royal Family, Government, Parliament, and people of Sweden for their warm and respectful reception for himself and the Vietnamese delegation. He affirmed that the visit demonstrates the strong and deepening traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries.
The Prime Minister conveyed warm regards from General Secretary Tô Lâm, President Lương Cường, and National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn to Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and other senior Swedish leaders.
Emphasizing that mutual friendship and affection are invaluable assets and a precious foundation for both nations, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính affirmed that Vietnam always remembers Sweden’s generous support during the country’s struggle for national liberation and in its reconstruction and development.
Sweden was not only the most vocal Western supporter of Vietnam’s struggle for independence, but also the largest Nordic provider of non-refundable aid to Vietnam in its rebuilding journey. It was also the first Western nation to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1969.
The Prime Minister shared that during this visit, he visited the family of the late Prime Minister Olof Palme to express appreciation and gratitude for his strong support, and that of the Swedish people, for Vietnam’s cause for national independence and unification.
He also sincerely thanked Sweden for recently gifting Vietnam a film by director Bo Öhlén that captured the moment Swedish citizens took to the streets to celebrate Vietnam’s victory on April 30, 1975.
The Bãi Bằng paper mill, the National Pediatric Hospital, and Uông Bí Hospital remain lasting symbols of Vietnam–Sweden cooperation and continue to be effective in Vietnam.
Swedish culture and knowledge reached Vietnam through ABBA’s music and the prestigious Nobel Prize. Many Vietnamese officials, experts, and doctors were trained in Sweden and have significantly contributed to Vietnam’s development.
During their talks, the two Prime Ministers shared updates on their respective countries’ development.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson congratulated Vietnam on its recent socio-economic achievements and international integration. He reaffirmed that the Swedish Government and people value their relationship with Vietnam and wish to further enhance cooperation in trade, investment, innovation, digital and green transformation, climate change response, and sustainable development.
Building on the theme of “a heroic past, a bright future,” both leaders affirmed that now is the right time to renew and elevate bilateral relations.
They agreed on the need for increased contact and delegation exchanges at all levels—especially high-level and people-to-people exchanges—to strengthen political trust and mutual understanding, thereby creating favorable conditions for cooperation in other areas.
Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính emphasized that, based on strong political ties, the two countries should enhance cooperation in defense and security, share experiences and perspectives on global issues, especially in today’s fast-changing and unpredictable world.
Both sides also agreed to strengthen coordination and support in multilateral forums and international organizations, particularly within the United Nations, ASEAN, and the European Union (EU); to support each other in strengthening Vietnam–EU and Sweden–ASEAN relations; and to contribute to addressing global challenges.
The Prime Minister noted that Sweden and Vietnam are complementary economies: Sweden is strong in technology, innovation, and digital transformation; Vietnam offers a large market of over 100 million people and serves as a gateway to the dynamic ASEAN region with about 700 million people.
In trade and investment, both sides affirmed continued efforts to facilitate mutual market access through effective implementation of the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), enabling greater access to EU and ASEAN markets, and aiming to raise bilateral trade to USD 3 billion in the near future.
Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính called on Sweden to advocate for the early ratification of the EU–Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) by remaining EU member states and to support the European Commission in lifting the “yellow card” on Vietnamese seafood exports related to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Prime Minister Kristersson shared that Sweden is proud that Ericsson was among the first tech firms to enter Vietnam and has been a long-term partner in information and telecommunications technology.
On this occasion, the two leaders agreed to upgrade bilateral ties to a sectoral strategic partnership in science, technology, and innovation, and committed to promoting cooperation in innovation, high technology, nuclear energy, semiconductors, green and digital transformation, and to strengthen educational ties, particularly in high-quality human resource training.
Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính called on Swedish businesses to invest more in sectors that align with Vietnam’s development priorities—such as innovation, the green, digital, and circular economy, renewable energy, and urban planning.
In cultural, sports, tourism, and people-to-people cooperation, both sides agreed to intensify policy exchanges and promote tourism, creating favorable conditions to attract more visitors from each country.
The Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for Sweden’s support for the Vietnamese community and asked the Swedish Government to continue creating favorable conditions for them to live, work, integrate into society, and contribute to Sweden’s development and to bilateral relations.
On international and regional issues of mutual concern, both Prime Ministers reaffirmed their support for peaceful, lasting solutions to conflicts based on respect for the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law.
Regarding the South China Sea, both sides supported peaceful dispute resolution in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), contributing to peace, stability, and freedom of navigation and overflight in this key area for global trade.
At the conclusion of the talks, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính invited Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to visit Vietnam soon. Prime Minister Kristersson gladly accepted.
Immediately after the talks, the two Prime Ministers witnessed the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology and the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs exchanging the agreement on the Sectoral Strategic Partnership on Science, Technology, Innovation, and Digital Transformation.