General Secretary, President To Lam's state visit to Sri Lanka to elevate traditional ties to a new development phase
WVR - On the occasion of General Secretary, President To Lam's state visit to Sri Lanka (May 7-8), Member of the Party Central Committee, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong gave an interview to the press about the significance of the visit as well as the outstanding achievements in Vietnam-Sri Lanka relations in recent times.
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| General Secretary, President To Lam (then General Secretary) receives Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake during a state visit to Vietnam and attendance at the United Nations Vesak Day, May 2025. (Source: VNA) |
Could the Deputy Minister elaborate on the purpose and significance of General Secretary, President To Lam's state visit to Sri Lanka?
At the invitation of Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam To Lam, along with a high-level Vietnamese delegation, will pay a state visit to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka from May 7-8, 2026.
The visit carries a particularly important diplomatic message, reflecting our respect for Sri Lanka as well as the South Asian region. This is the highest-level visit by a Vietnamese leader to Sri Lanka since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1970.
Sri Lanka is a traditional friend with a long-standing friendship with Vietnam. The two countries have supported each other in their historical struggles for national liberation and unification. Notably, during his journey to seek national salvation and engage in revolutionary activities, President Ho Chi Minh visited Sri Lanka three times in 1911, 1928, and 1946; the Sri Lankan people have always held him in high esteem and regard. With this significance, the visit by General Secretary, President To Lam will further strengthen the traditional friendship and genuine camaraderie between the leaders and people of the two countries, which has been built over a long history.
In the context of Sri Lanka emerging from a crisis and striving for recovery and development, General Secretary, President To Lam's visit demonstrates our concern and solidarity with Sri Lanka, affirming that Vietnam always stands by and accompanies traditional friends.
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| Nguyen Manh Cuong, Member of the Party Central Committee, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, emphasized that this is the highest-level visit by a Vietnamese leader to Sri Lanka since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1970. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
Moreover, the visit also creates new momentum, shaping the framework for cooperation in the next phase. Sri Lanka holds a strategically important position, guarding a crucial maritime route in the Indian Ocean, and is a potential market with nearly 30 million people. Strengthening relations with Sri Lanka will help tap into the potential of this market specifically and South Asia in general, opening up economic cooperation opportunities, increasing exports and investments from Vietnam, and strengthening supply chains in several fields where both sides have strengths.
Additionally, the visit aims to promote maritime cooperation, maritime security, port connectivity, and enhance cultural, tourism, Buddhist, and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
Could the Deputy Minister highlight the notable achievements in Vietnam-Sri Lanka relations recently and our expectations for this visit?
As previously shared, Vietnam and Sri Lanka have a traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation, especially with high political trust and shared perspectives on national development, cultural values, and Buddhism. The two countries have established several important mechanisms as a foundation for cooperation, including the Bilateral Cooperation Committee at the Foreign Minister level, Political Consultation at the Deputy Foreign Minister level, and the Trade Cooperation Committee.
During the state visit to Vietnam in 2025 by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, both sides issued a Joint Statement and signed numerous important cooperation documents in agriculture and education.
Economic and trade cooperation between the two countries still holds significant potential, although current trade turnover is just over 200 million USD. With Sri Lanka stabilizing and advancing its development trajectory, it will be a very promising market for Vietnamese businesses to boost exports and investments in the future.
Therefore, during this visit, we aim to set higher targets for bilateral trade and investment, aiming for significant investment projects by Vietnamese enterprises in Sri Lanka in the near future.
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| Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake visits Vietnam in May 2025. (Source: VNA) |
Cultural and tourism cooperation, especially spiritual tourism between the two countries, is thriving, and both nations plan to open direct flights to enhance connectivity, boost tourism, and trade.
We have every reason to firmly believe that General Secretary, President To Lam's state visit to Sri Lanka will become a significant political milestone, creating new momentum and opening a new development phase for bilateral relations with enhanced political trust, broader and deeper cooperation, and more effective and substantive outcomes.
The visit not only reaffirms Vietnam's commitment to promoting relations with Sri Lanka but also demonstrates a shared determination to elevate the traditional friendship with Sri Lanka from historical depths to collaborative development, for the common prosperity of both nations.
Along with the visit to India, General Secretary, President To Lam's visit to Sri Lanka underscores Vietnam's interest and respect for the South Asian region, and its determination to work with regional countries to promote in-depth cooperation for the benefit of the Vietnamese people and other nations, for peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region.
Thank you very much, Deputy Foreign Minister!
