Potential for Viet Nam-Lithuania cooperation

Lithuania, a country located in the Baltic region, has a population of less than 3 million. Despite its limited resources and population, Lithuania has effectively leveraged its high-tech resources, especially in information technology, to foster continuous national development. Throughout its turbulent history, Lithuania's economy has experienced both downturns and breakthrough growth. In 2024, Lithuania's economy showed several positive signals, including low inflation and a recovering labour market.

Lithuania began the privatisation process earlier than other Baltic countries, completing the privatisation of agriculture, small enterprises, and banks before privatising state-owned enterprises in transportation and energy. As with other Baltic countries, one of Lithuania’s foreign policy priorities is deep integration into the European Union (EU). Lithuania is also a member of numerous regional and international organisations.

Since the Soviet era, Lithuania has maintained a good traditional friendship with Viet Nam. Not only has it received a significant number of Vietnamese students at its universities, but Lithuania has also sent hundreds of experts in road construction and agriculture to Viet Nam, as well as provided medical supplies, generators, and ambulances.

In 1992, Viet Nam and Lithuania signed a protocol establishing diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level. Since then, the two countries have maintained exchanges at various levels, coordinating closely and supporting each other at regional and international forums. Not only has Lithuania actively supported the signing of the Viet Nam-European Union Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), but it was also one of the first EU member states to ratify the Viet Nam-EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). On the sidelines of multilateral events, the leaders of the two countries have met and praised the positive outcomes in their bilateral relations, expressing a desire to enhance cooperation further.

In the course of cooperation between the two countries, the economic relationship between Viet Nam and Lithuania has shown positive results. In the first three months of 2025, bilateral trade has reached 94.7 million USD, an increase of 94.4% compared to the same period in 2024. Lithuania currently has three active direct investment projects in Viet Nam, with a total investment of approximately 260,000 USD in the fields of communications, science and technology, and healthcare.

The Lithuanian people have great affection for Viet Nam. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lithuania donated 168,700 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Viet Nam. The local government has also recognised and appreciated the contributions of the Vietnamese Association in Lithuania. The Vietnamese community in Lithuania currently has around 100 citizens, most of whom are engaged in trading in shopping centres in the capital, Vilnius. Additionally, there are about 100 workers and students living and studying in Lithuania.

In October 2023, the Lithuanian foreign minister visited Viet Nam, marking the first ministerial visit between the two countries since they established diplomatic relations in 1992. This visit is seen as an important milestone, creating new momentum to further strengthen bilateral relations. During a meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, the Lithuanian foreign minister expressed admiration for Viet Nam's socio-economic achievements and affirmed Lithuania's desire to further promote cooperation with Viet Nam, which is Lithuania’s priority partner in Southeast Asia.

Lithuania is over 9,000 km away from Viet Nam, but the people of Lithuania have long known about Viet Nam and expressed interest in visiting a country full of intriguing attractions. Sharing with the Vietnamese press during a visit two years ago, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry leader mentioned that Lithuanians are fond of Viet Nam’s white sand beaches which stretch along the coastline. In the eyes of the Lithuanian people, Viet Nam is also special with its vibrant cities and unique cuisine. The two countries still have immense potential for fostering cooperation in the future.

Link to the original article