Speaking after the presentation ceremony, Ambassador Hanso said: "Relations between Estonia and Vietnam are strong, and there are plenty of opportunities for closer cooperation."

"Both countries support the promotion of free trade, and we are delighted that the free trade agreement signed between the EU and Vietnam in 2020 has also opened up new opportunities for deepening bilateral trade relations," he went on, via a foreign ministry press release.

Tertiary education is another area where there are close ties between the two countries, Hanso added.

In the short and informal meeting after the ceremony, President Vo and Ambassador Hanso also discussed the fruitful cooperation between Estonia and Vietnam in applying to international organizations, and the countries stints, which coincided, holding non-permanent seats on the UN's Security Council.

Ambassador Hanso resides in Beijing, China and is Estonia's Ambassador to the PRC, as well as to Mongolia and, now, Vietnam.

Tourism and digitalization were also on the agenda during the short talk, while in terms of international sovereignty issues, the President of Vietnam raised the issue of international law relating to territorial disputes in the South China Sea, which much of Vietnam's lengthy coastline abuts on to, desires a just and sovereign solution,

Ambassador Hanso focused on the effects of Russia's aggression in Ukraine on the Southeast Asia region, as well as on Europe and the rest of the world.

Hannes Hanso, 51, was defense minister 2015-2016 and is a former MEP and former Riigikogu MP. When he was a politician, he was a member of the Social Democrats.

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