During the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership. This significant development was formalized through a Joint Declaration, which underscores the commitment of both nations to deepen their collaboration across various sectors. The Vietnamese government’s official online publication highlighted the partnership’s goal to serve as a model of cooperation among Global South countries, with a particular focus on enhancing economic, trade, and investment ties. To operationalize this vision, both leaders advocated for the swift creation of an Action Plan and the immediate formation of a working group to streamline market access for goods and products from both nations. The partnership aims to boost bilateral trade volume to between four and five billion dollars within the next two to three years, marking a new chapter in Vietnam-South Africa relations.