New development in Vietnam - Pakistan diplomatic relations

The event was attended by Governor of Punjab province Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, former Foreign Minister of Pakistan Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri, Chairman of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mian Abuzar Shaid and many representatives of diplomatic missions in Lahore city.

Speaking at the decision-making ceremony, Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan congratulated Mr. Fareed, a prestigious businessman in Lahore who loves Vietnam very much, on being appointed as Honorary Consul; emphasizing that this is the first Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Pakistan, marking a new development step in expanding Vietnam's diplomatic network in Pakistan to contribute to promoting political , economic, cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchange between the two countries. The Ambassador also expressed his belief that Mr. Rizwan Fareed's prestige, ability and enthusiasm will be an effective extension of the Embassy in promoting trade and investment, tourism, people-to-people exchange, and supporting Vietnamese citizens in the area.

Also at the ceremony, Governor of Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider Khan highly appreciated the appointment decision, and emphasized that Pakistan is a potential investment destination as the current government is creating many favorable conditions and preferential policies to attract foreign capital. He also acknowledged Vietnam's outstanding economic achievements in recent years. He called on the Pakistani business community to strengthen cooperation and trade with Vietnamese partners for mutual development, bringing benefits to both businesses and the country.

For his part, Honorary Consul Rizwan Fareed expressed his deep gratitude to the Government and people of Vietnam for entrusting him with this noble responsibility. He pledged to take advantage of all available opportunities, experiences and relationships to promote the development of Vietnam - Pakistan relations in the fields of economics, trade, culture and citizen support, thereby contributing to fostering and deepening the strong friendship between the two countries.

The decision-making ceremony ended with a cake-cutting ceremony and souvenir photo-taking, opening a new promising chapter for diplomatic cooperation and economic development between Vietnam and Pakistan.

On the same day, Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan attended the opening ceremony of the Honorary Consulate of Vietnam in Lahore - the dynamic economic center of Pakistan. The new office will undertake many important functions such as supporting Vietnamese citizens in necessary cases, promoting trade and tourism development, and facilitating cultural and educational exchange programs. The establishment of the Honorary Consulate is in line with the global trend of countries expanding their consular representation networks to increase coverage, contributing to promoting bilateral economic development and friendly relations between the two peoples.

During his working trip to Lahore, Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan also had a working session with the leaders of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), one of the largest and most dynamic chambers of commerce in Pakistan.

LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shah proposed a vision to increase the turnover to $5 billion by expanding market access and leveraging Vietnam’s strategic position in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Pakistan mainly exports corn, cotton, leather and yarn, while Vietnam exports electronics, synthetic fibers, natural rubber and tea. Shah called for diversifying into seafood, processed meat, pharmaceuticals, fruits and vegetables, and tapping information technology and tourism.

At this event, Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan announced that Vietnam and Pakistan are preparing to negotiate a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), opening a new legal framework for bilateral economic cooperation with the goal of moving towards a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in the future, contributing to promoting sustainable and effective economic and trade relations between the two countries.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/buoc-phat-trien-moi-trong-quan-he-ngoai-giao-viet-nam-pakistan-20250923070539154.htm