Vietnam, EU elevate diplomatic ties as international order "is under threat"

Vietnam and the European Union said on Thursday they elevated diplomatic relations, as both sides seek to expand international partnerships amid global disruptions.



The largely diplomatic move entails no binding commitments but carries political weight at a time when the EU and Vietnam are seeking to deepen international ties as they both face up to higher levies on their exports to the United States.



The upgrade is "a historical milestone underlining the great achievements that the two sides have made," Vietnam's President Luong Cuong said at the start of a meeting in Hanoi with European Council President Antonio Costa.



A free trade agreement between Vietnam and the 27-country EU entered into force in 2020.



Costa, who arrived in Hanoi after the EU struck a major trade deal with India on Tuesday, said the upgraded partnership "highlights the importance we attach to the region and to Vietnam's growing role".