Deputy FM Dang Hoang Giang highlights key focuses of General Secretary, President To Lam's participation in UNGA 81, state visit to Canada
On September 18, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters, Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang held a press briefing ahead of General Secretary, President To Lam's trip to attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) High-Level General Debate, conduct bilateral activities in the United States, and pay state visit to Canada.
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| General Secretary, President To Lam speaking at the 79th UN General Assembly in September 2024. (Source: America Times) |
Deputy Minister, could you elaborate on the significance and objectives of General Secretary, President To Lam's visit to attend the 81st UN General Assembly High-Level General Debate, conduct bilateral activities in the United States, and the State visit to Canada?
From September 20-25, 2026, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, President To Lam, along with a high-level Vietnamese delegation, will attend the 81st UN General Assembly High-Level General Debate, engage in bilateral activities in the United States, and undertake a State visit to Canada at the invitation of Canadian Governor General Louise Arbour.
This marks General Secretary, President To Lam's first trip to the United Nations, the United States, and Canada following Vietnam's successful organization of the 14th National Party Congress, the 16th National Assembly elections, and the People's Council elections for the 2026-2031 term.
Taking place amidst rapidly evolving global dynamics, this visit by the General Secretary, President is a clear testament to Vietnam's foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, resilience, emphasizing multilateralism, diversification, and proactive, comprehensive international integration. It aims to capitalize on favourable conditions and resources to open up development opportunities for the nation. The visit also serves as a platform to convey, at the highest level, the message of a Vietnam entering a new era of development with vision, determination, and a strong aspiration for advancement.
The participation and significant speech by General Secretary, President To Lam at the 81st UN General Assembly High-Level General Debate hold immense significance as Vietnam and the United Nations approach the 50th anniversary of their relationship. This also reaffirms Vietnam's strong support and commitment to the central role of the United Nations in multilateral cooperation and the promotion of respect for international law.
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| Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang addressing the press before General Secretary, President To Lam's trip to the United Nations, the United States, and Canada. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
On this occasion, General Secretary, President To Lam will also share with senior leaders of other countries the successful lessons from 40 years of Doi Moi (Renewal), while contributing practical initiatives to address common global challenges such as climate change, promoting sustainable development, and managing core future technologies. This will further affirm the country's new prestige, position, and potential on the international stage.
Meanwhile, bilateral activities in the United States by the General Secretary, President will help implement the shared understanding of high-level leaders of Vietnam and the United States, while continuing to promote the comprehensive strategic partnership's stable, substantive, effective, and sustainable development.
This is also an opportunity for both sides to enhance high-level contacts, discuss strategically significant and long-term issues for bilateral relations, and increase understanding and support from various sectors for Vietnam and the Vietnam–United States relationship.
With Canada, based on the strong bilateral relations and significant achievements in various areas of cooperation, this state visit by the General Secretary, President will create strong political momentum, advancing Vietnam-Canada relations in a more substantive, balanced, and effective manner, commensurate with the potential, strengths, and needs of both countries. Additionally, the visit will open a new strategic and comprehensive development phase between the two countries, contributing positively to peace and stability in the region and the world.
Deputy Minister, could you highlight Vietnam's significant contributions to the United Nations' common endeavors in recent times?
Reflecting on the past journey, we can proudly affirm that the relationship between Vietnam and the United Nations is in an exceptionally positive and substantive phase. From the years of struggle for independence, Vietnam has emerged as a particularly reliable partner, making proactive, responsible, and groundbreaking contributions to the United Nations' core pillars.
As an active and responsible member of the international community, Vietnam has continuously elevated its national position by proactively participating in leading and shaping globally significant initiatives across key areas.
Notably, we have left an international mark by successfully organizing the signing ceremony for the “United Nations Convention against Cybercrime,” widely known as the Hanoi Convention, laying the first important legal foundation for global cybersecurity cooperation.
Our multilateral diplomatic reputation continues to achieve significant milestones, such as chairing the 11th Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Conference; being re-elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2026–2028 term; and, for the first time, chairing the 35th Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
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| The Vietnamese delegation rejoices as Vietnam is re-elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2026–2028 term. (Source: Vietnam Mission to the United Nations) |
Particularly significant is Vietnam's representative being elected for the first time as a Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea for the 2026–2035 term, with the highest votes in the region. Most recently, we have initiated impactful proposals such as promoting the United Nations' adoption of the International Day of Play (June 11) and launching the 2027–2036 period as the “International Decade for Culture for Sustainable Development.”
Moreover, Vietnam is a leading model in United Nations reform with the “One UN Initiative,” implementing Sustainable Development Goals and Gender Equality. The United Nations has consistently highly regarded Vietnam for achieving and exceeding 13 out of 20 targets in the National Strategy on Gender Equality. Vietnam's experience in integrating women's roles into the digital transformation and green economic development process has become an inspirational lesson for many developing countries.
Notably, Vietnam has truly become an ambassador of peace and international humanitarianism. The image of Vietnamese blue-helmet soldiers bravely and diligently performing their duties at United Nations Peacekeeping Missions has become a vivid and noble symbol in the mission of maintaining peace in conflict areas.
Alongside human contributions, Vietnam consistently maintains substantial financial responsibility by contributing to global emergency relief funds such as the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), spreading the spirit of international solidarity.
Deputy Minister, how do you assess the cooperation situation and expectations for breakthroughs in Vietnam–United States and Vietnam–Canada relations through this visit?
The achievements over more than three decades between Vietnam and the United States are comprehensive and substantive. The two countries have built an increasingly solid cooperation foundation based on respect for the United Nations Charter, international law, independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and each other's political systems. Simultaneously, the scale and scope of cooperation between the two countries continue to expand across many strategic areas.
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| The handover ceremony of the nameplate and guard tower of the former Reasoner Camp in Da Nang to the United States, September 15, 2026. (Photo: Bao Chi) |
Political trust is continuously strengthened, with both sides maintaining regular exchanges and contacts at all levels. Cooperation in addressing war legacies is a highlight in bilateral relations. Economy, trade, and investment have become the driving forces of the relationship, with increasing levels of connectivity and complementarity.
Both sides are actively expanding cooperation into new strategic areas shaping the future, such as science and technology, innovation, semiconductor industry, artificial intelligence, energy transition, and developing high-quality human resources...
Defence and security cooperation continues to develop effectively, contributing to strengthening and enhancing political trust between the two sides. Alongside, people-to-people exchanges, education, health, and culture are expanding. The Vietnamese community in the United States continues to play a bridging role, contributing positively to bilateral relations.
Regarding Vietnam–Canada relations, after more than half a century of diplomatic relations and nearly a decade of implementing the Comprehensive Partnership framework, the two countries have built an increasingly solid relationship foundation. Political trust is strengthened; economic, trade, and investment cooperation is dynamically developing; cooperation in education and training, science and technology, defense and security, and people-to-people exchanges is becoming more substantive. Notably, both sides are striving to make fields such as science and technology, innovation, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, clean energy, and human resource development new driving forces for bilateral relations.
Additionally, Vietnam and Canada share many similar views on international law, free trade, and maintaining peace and stability in the region. The two countries have many complementary strengths; Vietnam is entering a new development era, identifying science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, and deep international integration as crucial drivers to realize the two centennial goals by 2030 and 2045; Canada is intensifying market diversification and strengthening engagement with the Indo-Pacific region.
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| Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang and Canadian Deputy Minister of International Trade Glenn Purves at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters, September 10, 2026. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
Based on this foundation, we expect that General Secretary, President To Lam's trip to the 81st UN General Assembly High-Level General Debate, bilateral activities in the United States, and the State visit to Canada will significantly contribute to strengthening and deepening Vietnam's relations with the United Nations, the United States, and other partners; promote more substantive and connected Vietnam–Canada relations; and affirm a proactive, positive, and responsible Vietnam in global issues, contributing positively to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
