Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang and Italian Undersecretary of State Maria Tripodi co-chaired the seventh political consultation between the two countries at deputy ministerial level in Rome on November 2.
The sides briefed each other on socio-economic developments, reviewed bilateral cooperation and discussed future ties. They noted close coordination, increased delegation exchanges and National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man's official visit to Italy in April 2026.
Tripodi said she was impressed by Vietnam's achievements and development goals for 2030 and 2045. She called Vietnam an important Italian partner and Italy's largest trading partner in ASEAN.
Hang said bilateral trade reached a record 7.3 billion USD in 2025, above the 7 billion USD target set in 2023. She urged implementation of the EVFTA, lifting the “yellow card” warning on Vietnamese seafood over IUU fishing, and ratification of the EVIPA by the remaining five EU members. Tripodi supported the proposals.
Italian businesses are interested in Vietnamese investment opportunities, especially in AI, semiconductors, biotechnology and high-tech agriculture. They also want cooperation in green energy transition, thermal power, JETP and offshore wind power. The sides agreed to promote trade and investment.
The officials agreed to implement the Vietnam–Italy action plan for 2025–2026 with a vision to 2027 and advance cooperation in defence, security, science, technology and innovation. They welcomed an Italian naval vessel's visit to Vietnam in September 2026.
They agreed to expand cultural and education exchanges, hold joint events, share heritage-preservation expertise and provide scholarships. They stressed coordination at the UN and in ASEAN–Italy and ASEAN–EU frameworks, and peaceful settlement of disputes under international law and the UN Charter.
On the South China Sea, the sides stressed peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation and overflight under international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. During the visit, Hang met Holy See official Mihaita Blaj to discuss further cooperation.
Sources: VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
