EU set to elevate ties with Vietnam amid trade disruptions, source says
The European Union and Vietnam will elevate ties during a visit to Hanoi by the European Council President Antonio Costa on Thursday, an EU official said, as both sides seek to expand international partnerships amid disruptions from U.S. tariffs.
The visit comes on the heels of To Lam’s re-appointment as Vietnam’s top official, potentially making Costa the first leader of a major power to meet Lam since the ruling Communist Party on Friday appointed him for a new term as general secretary.
The elevation of ties to Vietnam’s highest level has been planned for months and was delayed largely because of schedule complications, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymlty.
It would place the EU on the same tier as China, the U.S. and Russia among others, further expanding Vietnam’s advanced partnerships, in line with the country’s strategy of balancing big powers.
The European Council declined to comment. Vietnam’s government did not respond to a request for comment.
These upgrades are largely symbolic, as they merely entail more frequent high-level meetings and usually no binding agreements.
Vietnam’s relations with the United States worsened last year after the Trump administration imposed tariffs, despite the upgrade of bilateral ties inked by former president Joe Biden during a visit to Hanoi in late 2023.
