Chile and Vietnam maintain exceptional diplomatic and friendship relations, with links that multiply and deepen day by day. This strong relationship has its origin in the visit of President Salvador Allende to Vietnam, being President of the Chilean Senate in May 1969, to give his solidarity support to President Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnamese people.

Chile was the second Latin American country to recognize the State of Vietnam on July 31, 1950, and Salvador Allende was the second Latin American Head of State to establish relations at the embassy level.
On March 25, 1971 marks the establishment of diplomatic relations between Chile and the D. R. of Vietnam.

President Allende appointed María Maluenda as charge d'affaires, becoming the first diplomatic representative of Chile in Vietnam. 

In 1973, the Chilean military government broke relations with Northern Vietnam and maintained them with southern Vietnam. In 1990, Chile and Vietnam resume diplomatic relations. Vietnam reopened its embassy in Santiago, in December 2003, and Chile opened its embassy in Hanoi, in October 2004. 

• Official visits of high leaders:

• Prime Minister Pham Van Khai to Chile in October 2002.
• President Ricardo Lagos to Vietnam in October 2003.
• President of Vietnam Tran Duc Luong to Chile in November 2004.
• President of Chile Michelle Bachelet to Vietnam in November 2006.
• Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Mr. Nong Duc Manh to Chile, in May 2007.
• Under - Secretary of Foreign Affairs from Chile to Vietnam, in August 2009.
• President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Mr. Nguyen Minh Triet, to Chile, in September 2009.
• State Visit of President Sebastián Piñera to Vietnam, March 2012