Hanoi, Oct. 22 -- Following the welcome ceremony, the two leaders held talks.

Since establishing diplomatic relations on November 28, 1990, Viet Nam and the EU have developed increasingly close ties.

The upgrade to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Costa's visit to Viet Nam in January 2026 marked a historic milestone, making Viet Nam the first ASEAN member state to establish the highest-level partnership framework with the EU.

In 2025, two-way trade reached US$73.81 billion, up 7.79 percent from 2024 and accounting for 7.9 percent of Viet Nam's total trade. Viet Nam recorded a trade surplus of US$38.54 billion with the bloc, up from US$35 billion in 2024.

The positive trend continued in the first eight months of 2026, whe...