Việt Nam and Mexico will celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year. As part of a programme to mark the occasion, former Vietnam News Agency (VNA) General Director Trần Mai Hưởng last month led a VNA delegation to visit Mexico at the invitation of Mexico's Labour Party (PT) General Secretary Alberto Anaya Guitiérrez. Here is an extract of his travelogue in the Latin American country:

On my first trip to Mexico in 2009, I visited the Pyramid of the Sun, an archaeological site of nearly 2,000 years old. I knelt down beside the sacred stone on top of the pyramid, hoping to return to this land.

Now, that hope has come true. 

Returning to Mexico this time after 15 years, I find Mexico City is ancient, vast and vibrant. My impression of this city of over 21 million people still carries the same feeling, although life is more colourful.

Both one of my old colleagues, journalist Ngô Hà Thái, former deputy general director of VNA, and I used to be in Mexico, but this time we felt closer to the country than before because we have more friends particularly Hồ Quang Minh MD and many Mexicans and VNA colleagues.

Dr Minh has been in Mexico for more than 30 years and now, in his position as Assistant to the General Secretary of the Mexican Labour Party, was also the organiser of our trip.

A warm welcome

PT Party General Secretary Alberto Anaya Guitiérrez has a special love for Việt Nam, and our visit to Mexico this time saw us receive his special warm welcome.

I had chances to meet him several times in Hà Nội before. Thái also visited Mexico 14 years ago, where he spoke with Guitiérrez during a meeting that formalised cooperation between the VNA and the PT Party. This cooperation has spanned various fields, including the printing of the VNA's Vietnam Pictorial in Mexico and editor training in Spanish for the VNA. 

This time, when we met him again, the PT Party General Secretary expressed his deep admiration for Việt Nam's national liberation struggle and President Hồ Chí Minh, affirming that Việt Nam's success today must be attributed to the key role of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, which has transformed Việt Nam from a poor, backward and war-torn country into a prosperous nation with an increasingly important position in the region and world.

He also recognised the contributions of Vietnamese revolutionary media, including the VNA, in connecting Việt Nam with the world and supporting its development.

During the meeting, we gifted him a photograph titled Liberation Army Tanks Entering the Independence Palace on April 30, 1975, taken by a VNA war correspondent.

Guitiérrez was visibly moved, saying, "This photo marks the moment of victory for the Vietnamese people and the defeat of US and Sài Gòn forces. We will display it proudly at PT Party headquarters as a symbol of that triumph."

The Hồ Chí Minh memorial statue in Mexico City's People Freedom Park, erected in 2009, is a significant landmark for Vietnamese nationals and Mexican friends alike. The statue, created by sculptor Ponzanelli and based on a photograph taken in the garden of the Presidential Palace in Hà Nội, depicts President Hồ sitting at a simple table.

Thanks to the efforts of the Vietnamese Embassy and organisations such as the PT Party, three Hồ Chí Minh memorial sites have been established across Mexico. The PT leadership also donated two statues of President Hồ to the VNA and Hà Nội on the occasion of the city's 1,000th founding anniversary. Together with Mexican friends, we visited these sites to pay tribute to President Hồ.

Comprehensive partnership

During our trip, we attended a celebration for Việt Nam’s National Day, September 2, organised by the Vietnamese Embassy. It was an opportunity for the local Vietnamese community and Mexican friends to gather.

Fernando Gonzalez Saiffe, director general of the Asia-Pacific Department at Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who once worked in Việt Nam, highlighted the similarities in the national liberation histories of both nations, calling them a foundation for elevating their bilateral relationship to a comprehensive partnership. 

Vietnamese Ambassador to Mexico Nguyễn Văn Hải noted the growing cooperation between Việt Nam and Mexico, particularly in the political and economic fields, and cultural diplomacy as well.

He emphasised that Mexico is Việt Nam’s second-largest trading partner in Latin America, while Việt Nam holds the same rank as Mexico within ASEAN. As members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, both countries have seen bilateral trade expand rapidly.

Trade Counselor Lưu Vạn Khang added that the potential for further growth is strong, with Mexican enterprises increasingly interested in the Vietnamese market. In the near future, a delegation of Mexican leather shoe manufacturers, representing substantial orders, will visit Hà Nội to discuss partnerships with Vietnamese businesses. 

Nguyễn Hữu Động, chairman of the Vietnamese Association in Mexico, has lived in the country for over 30 years. He looks forward to the National Day every year as an opportunity to reconnect with fellow countrymen, share memories, and stay updated on news from home.

He fondly recalled President Hồ's words in a 1946 New Year’s Letter to Overseas Vietnamese: "The Motherland and the Government always miss compatriots, like parents miss their children who are away." Those words, Động said, had resonated with him throughout his time abroad.

Everywhere we travelled in Mexico, from taxi drivers to hotel staff, we encountered warmth and hospitality. At the newly opened Phở King restaurant, Mexican diners expressed their fondness for Vietnamese cuisine.

Naya, PhD, from Zacatecas Autonomous University praised the intelligence and work ethic of Vietnamese students, while Ruben Zardoya, PhD, director of Emiliano Zapata University in Monterrey, expressed enthusiasm for welcoming more Vietnamese students to his institution.

Vietnamese acupuncture centres

Our trip was greatly supported by Dr Minh, whose efforts over the years have significantly strengthened Việt Nam-Mexico ties, especially between the PT Party and Việt Nam.

Minh and his wife, Dr Nguyễn Thị Phương Lan, were instrumental in establishing Vietnamese acupuncture centres in Mexico under an agreement between the PT Party and the Vietnamese Ministry of Health nearly 25 years ago. These centres, located in Monterrey, Mexico City and Zacatecas, have treated hundreds of thousands of patients and continue to promote Việt Nam through various events.

During their operation, Vietnamese doctors at the centres have performed hundreds of thousands of treatments for Mexicans. The Vietnamese Acupuncture Institute also helped the Zacatecas autonomous university implement a training programme for Masters in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.  

 The centres also organise many events, including exhibitions, film screenings and communication promotion with the Mexican media agencies. They participate in seminars and scientific conferences to publicise Việt Nam and strengthen the friendship between the two countries.

Minh has also played a vital role in educational exchanges, sending 30 Vietnamese students to study at Zacatecas Autonomous University. With continued support from the PT Party and the Vietnamese Embassy, Minh is committed to expanding cooperation with other educational institutions, paving the way for further progress.

In a talk with us before our visit, Mexican Ambassador to Việt Nam Alejandro Negrín Muñoz expressed his deep affection for Việt Nam. His sentiments were reflected in the warm welcome we received throughout our stay. As we approach the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Việt Nam and Mexico in 2025, Ambassador Muñoz is optimistic about further elevating bilateral ties and strengthening cooperation across multiple sectors.

"We will move towards a better relationship following this anniversary. The consolidation and development of the relationship between Mexico and Việt Nam has made many impressive achievements. The goals that I am working towards as Ambassador of Mexico to Việt Nam are to elevate bilateral relations and sign many agreements in various fields to strengthen and consolidate the relationship between the two countries," he said. VNS