Legislative exchanges strengthen Vietnam–Chile cooperation during National Assembly delegation’s visit
WVR - From October 4-8 in Santiago and Valparaíso, a delegation from the National Assembly's Committee for Deputy Affairs, led by Standing Vice Chairwoman Ta Thi Yen, visited Chile and studied parliamentary organization, deputy affairs, and the activities of local elected bodies.
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| The delegation from National Assembly's Committee for Deputy Affairs, led by Standing Vice Chairwoman Ta Thi Yen, working in Pudahuel district, Santiago, Chile. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Chile) |
This marks the second leg of the trip, following Peru, as part of the Committee's 2026 foreign activities program. Chile was the first South American country to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1971 and the first Latin American country to sign a free trade agreement with Vietnam in 2011, which took effect in 2014. Both countries are founding members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
On October 5, the delegation began its program in Chile with grassroots-level activities. In Santiago's Pudahuel district, the delegation met with Mayor Italo Bravo and Congressman Marcos Barraza, who represents this area in the House and serves as Vice President of the Chile-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group. Discussions covered the district government's structure, revenue sources, budget allocation, the process of receiving voter petitions, and community policies.
The delegation visited the district's Cultural and Creative Centre and library, both of which are operated by the district government for public service.
On October 6, at the National Congress headquarters in Valparaíso, the delegation, along with Ambassador Nguyen Viet Cuong, met with Chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Manuel José Ossandón. The two sides discussed the Senate's role in reviewing treaties and international agreements, with authority directly related to bilateral cooperation documents.
Delegation leader Ta Thi Yen urged the Chilean National Congress to continue supporting bilateral relations in the year marking the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations and to participate in activities leading up to APEC 2027, hosted by Vietnam.
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| The Vietnamese National Assembly delegation working with the Chairman of the Chilean Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Chile) |
In a meeting with Jaime Mulet Martínez, Chairman of the House's Constitutional, Legal, Judicial, and Regulatory Committee, discussions focused on state apparatus legislation, parliamentary organization and operations, parliamentary regulations, and law enforcement oversight. The Vietnamese side shared experiences from the 16th National Assembly and local council elections, along with the administrative unit arrangement and two-tier government model.
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| Delegation leader Ta Thi Yen and the Chairman of the Chilean Constitutional Committee. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Chile) |
In the early afternoon, the House held a welcoming ceremony for the delegation in the plenary hall. Subsequently, the delegation met with members of the Chile-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group and was received by House Vice President Felipe Camaño Cárdenas. The group currently includes 31 legislators from various parties, more than in the previous term, chaired by Congressman Gael Yeomans.
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| The delegation meets with the Vice President of the Chilean House. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Chile) |
Chilean legislators expressed their desire to expand cooperation into economics, trade, local connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges. Delegation leader Ta Thi Yen emphasized that exchanges between legislators of the two countries help Vietnam - Chile cooperation become more substantive, based on the friendship established by President Ho Chi Minh and President Salvador Allende in 1969.
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| The delegation meets with members of the Chile-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Chile) |
The delegation explored the activities of the Chilean National Congress Library in providing information and research for legislators, and also worked with Ambassador Nguyen Viet Cuong and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Chile. Both sides reviewed areas with untapped potential, from trade and investment to minerals, agriculture, and digital transformation. The delegation laid flowers at the statue of President Ho Chi Minh in the park named after him in Cerro Navia district and checked the progress of the Chile - Vietnam Memory project.
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| The delegation works with the Vietnamese Embassy in Chile. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Chile) |
After the delegation concluded its program, the Chilean Senate established the Chile-Vietnam Friendship Group with 9 Senators, as informed by Senator Manuel José Ossandón to Ambassador Nguyen Viet Cuong. The friendship parliamentary channel is now present in both chambers, providing a foundation for the proposals made during the mission to become concrete actions between the two countries.
Some images from the event:
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| The delegation meets with the Vice President of the Chilean House. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Chile) |
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| The delegation and the Vice President of the Chilean House take a group photo. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Chile) |
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| The delegation works with the House's Constitutional and Legal Committee in Chile. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Chile) |
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| The delegation and the Chilean Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Chile) |
(Source: Embassy of Vietnam in Chile)
