Vanuatu-Vietnam: A brief insight of the 2 countries’ Mutual Coexistence and History

Vanuatu and Vietnam share a mutual coexistence that dates back for over 100 years that has withstood the test of time.

Early in the 20th Century, the Vietnamese population in Vanuatu was 21,000 and in 1960, five (5) years after Vietnam’s declaration of independence, a significant percentage of the Vietnamese population returned to Vietnam. And today, according to the last census undertaken by the Vanuatu National Statistics Office for the year 2000, Vanuatu is still home to over 500 Vietnamese.

The Vietnamese community constitutes one of the largest diaspora in Vanuatu in which a  number of business entrepreneurs derived from and rose to social status, whom have had significant influence and contributions in the political and socio-economic growth of the country.

In light of these socio-economic contributions by the Vietnamese people, both the Vanuatu and Vietnamese Government are of reciprocated understanding and recognition of the need to continue to strengthen, enhance and maintain closer and stronger diplomatic relations.

Vanuatu-Vietnam Diplomatic Relations and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

On March 3,1982, Vanuatu and Vietnam established diplomatic relations of which have progressed at a gradual but confident pace over the years.

There have been several visits by Vanuatu’s prominent leaders to Vietnam on official state matters and representation at high-level meetings and conferences, all of which have significantly drawn the international recognition of Vanuatu a small island state in the South Pacific and its auspicious economic prospects.

In 2002 the Vanuatu Government underwent a comprehensive economic reform and identified two (2) significant economic growth components. These are the exportation of live cattle and the promotion of tourism.

And in 2014, the Premiers of both Vanuatu and Vietnam reciprocated by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in which the scope pronounced key priority areas of technical cooperation.

Today Vanuatu and Vietnam continue to uphold, value and cherish their fundamental mutual coexistence as well as to strengthen their diplomatic relations whereby they will continue to support each other to adapt to the ever-changing political and socio-economic landscape of the world.