After more than nine hours of flight, on the morning of June 5 local time (noon Hanoi time), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse Le Thi Bich Tran, and the high-level Vietnamese delegation arrived in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, officially beginning their visit to the Republic of Estonia.

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On the morning of June 5 local time, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse Le Thi Bich Tran, and the high-level Vietnamese delegation arrived in Tallinn to begin an official visit to the Republic of Estonia from June 5 to 7 - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Estonia is the first stop in Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s working trip to attend the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference, carry out bilateral activities in France, and pay official visits to Estonia and Sweden from June 5 to 14.

At Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse, and the Vietnamese delegation were welcomed by Hannes Hanso, Estonian Ambassador to China and concurrently accredited to Vietnam; Sven Tolp, Deputy Director of the Estonian State Protocol Department; and Pham Thi Thanh Binh, Vietnamese Ambassador to Finland and concurrently accredited to Estonia.

This marks the first official visit by a Vietnamese Prime Minister to Estonia since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1992. The visit aims to enhance the friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Estonia and reaffirms Vietnam’s consistent policy of valuing and seeking to strengthen ties with European nations, including Estonia.

Estonia is a long-standing friendly partner with multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam. Over the 33 years of diplomatic relations, the two countries have conducted high-level exchanges and established a mechanism for political consultations at the deputy minister and department head levels.

During these exchanges, Estonia has repeatedly affirmed that Vietnam is a priority partner in Southeast Asia and expressed a desire to deepen cooperation. The two countries also actively coordinate and support each other in multilateral forums.

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This is the first official visit by a Vietnamese Prime Minister to Estonia since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, aiming to advance bilateral ties - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

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Vietnamese children and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Estonia welcomed the Prime Minister at the airport - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Estonia has actively supported Vietnam in signing the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and was one of the first EU members to ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

Although current economic and trade volumes remain modest, they have shown stable growth in recent years. Both sides are working to leverage the EVFTA to expand market access, especially in mutually beneficial sectors.

Estonia also contributed to Vietnam’s human resource development by training many students and researchers during the Soviet era and continues to cooperate with several Vietnamese universities in education.

During the visit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is expected to hold meetings with senior Estonian leaders, attend the Vietnam-Estonia Business Forum, and visit various Estonian economic, cultural, and social institutions.

Since joining the European Union in 2004, Estonia has made significant strides in socio-economic development and European integration, particularly as a leader in digital transformation and e-government.

This visit is expected to open new cooperation opportunities, particularly in information technology, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, fintech, digital economy, cybersecurity, smart logistics, digital seaports, and e-government development.

VGP