Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden and her spouse Prince Daniel arrived in Hanoi on Monday, May 6. The Crown Princess Couple was welcomed by Vietnam’s Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh who hosted a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi on the afternoon of May 6.
The visit from the Crown Princess of Sweden is being made at the invitation of Vietnam’s Vice President to mark the 50 years of diplomatic relations between Sweden and Vietnam since 1969, the year that Sweden became the first Western country established diplomatic relations with Vietnam.
(Photo: Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden’s official Facebook page)
Accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Trade Ann Linde and Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Pereic Högberg, the Crown Princess Couple then attended the meeting where the topics toward business operations, investments and diplomatic relations between Sweden and Vietnam were discussed.
At the meeting, the Swedish delegation addressed the number of Swedish tourists visiting Vietnam has increased up to 50,000 last year. Also renowned Swedish companies such as Ericsson, Electrolux, IKEA and ABB have effectively generated more than 120,000 jobs in Vietnam. The accomplishment in both tourism and business sector made Sweden valued its cooperation with Vietnam and aimed to enhance the relation with Vietnam by providing resources that will benefit to both nations.
After the official welcoming ceremony and the meeting, Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh invited the Crown Princess to visit President Ho Chi Minh’s relic site at the Presidential Palace where the Crown Princess was informed thoroughly by Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh about the significant life events and works of President Ho Chi Minh.
On the day after, the Crown Princess Couple went sightseeing at a street food stall in Hanoi where they both enjoyed a lunch of Bun Bo Nam Bo (Southern noodles with beef).
On the same day, Princess Victoria met with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. They discussed current issues concerning two nations’ diplomatic and economic ties, trade agreements and the way to promote close connections with Vietnamese partners.
The meeting with PM Phuc was followed by the Sweden–Vietnam Business Summit where Princess Victoria gave a statement about numerous opportunities that can develop a long-term and sustainable relationship between Sweden and Vietnam in the future.
The summit was jointly held by the Swedish Embassy in Vietnam, the Swedish Trade and Invest Council, and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hanoi on May 7. It aimed to provide business representatives from two nations oppotunities to have face-to-face discussion to boost mutual cooperation for Sweden and Vietnam.
Apart from Princess Victoria, the speakers at the event also included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Swedish Minister for Foreign Trade Ann Linde.
In the morning of May 8, the last day of the visit, Princess Victoria along with her spouse, Prince Daniel and the Ambassador Pereric Högberg took a walk by Ho Guom Lake and participated in morning exercise with people in community at Monument of King Le Thai To.
Source: The Voice of Vietnam’s website
