General Secretary To Lam’s four-nation visit was a success, adding momentum and inspiration as Vietnam enters a new era: Deputy PM, FM Bui Thanh Son
WVR - Party General Secretary To Lam, his Spouse, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation concluded a successful trip to Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Belarus from May 5-12, achieving many positive outcomes, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son said in an interview with the press.
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| General Secretary To Lam’s four-nation visit was a success, adding momentum and inspiration as Vietnam enters a new era: General Secretary To Lam and his spouse attended the ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War at Red Square in Moscow, Russian Federation, on May 9, 2025. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
Party leader paid state visits to Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, an official visit to Russia during which he also attended a celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, and then a state visit to Belarus at the invitation of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Azerbaijani President Inham Aliyev, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko.
“The outcomes of this visit will serve as an important foundation, a source of momentum and inspiration for Vietnam and its partner countries to continue preserving, strengthening, and elevating their traditional friendship—thereby contributing to the development of each country,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son.
Renewed and redefined Vietnam’s relations with its traditional partner countries
Highlighting the significance and outcomes of the trip, the Deputy Prime Minister noted that beyond opening a new chapter of cooperation with traditional friends from the former Soviet Union, the eight-day visit not only reinforced but also renewed and redefined Vietnam’s relations with these countries, based on the long-standing friendship nurtured by generations of leaders and people of both Vietnam and the respective nations.
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| Party General Secretary To Lam and President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
The visits also served as special occasions to convey a heartfelt message of unwavering loyalty and consistent affection from the Vietnamese Party, State, and people toward the countries that wholeheartedly supported Vietnam’s past struggles for national liberation and reunification, as well as its ongoing national development.
The high-ranking leaders and people of the host countries extended their sincere affection, warm hospitality, and respectful reception, marked by special courtesies, to General Secretary Lam and his entourage, Deputy Prime Minister Son underscored.
With more than 80 intensive and diverse activities over eight days in four countries, General Secretary To Lam held talks and meetings with top leaders of the host nations, engaged in exchanges with political parties, various sectors and business communities, visited economic and cultural establishments, and met with the Vietnamese communities in those countries.
The Party General Secretary also attended the ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War in Russia and the 80th anniversary of the victory over fascism in Kazakhstan, reflecting Vietnam’s deep respect and recognition for the immense sacrifices and losses of the former Soviet Union countries in their fight against fascism, a struggle that ended the world war and opened a new chapter for the global revolutionary and national liberation movements, including Vietnam''s own.
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| President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and his Spouse, and Party General Secretary To Lam and his Spouse, at the welcome ceremony in Baku on May 7, 2025. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
Accompanying Vietnamese ministers and local leaders also held productive discussions with their counterparts to explore cooperation in various sectors.
“We can take great pride in the fact that leaders and representatives from all the four countries highly praised Vietnam's remarkable achievements in various fields under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and General Secretary To Lam, acknowledging the country’s bold reforms and transformative strides that are propelling Vietnam into an era of the nation’s rise”, he said.
The visit yielded a number of notable outcomes
The visit yielded a number of notable outcomes, as outlined below.
First, the Party General Secretary’s visit has contributed to implementing Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralisation of external relations, proactive and active integration into international community, and being a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member of the international community, Deputy Prime Minister Son emphasized.
Vietnam has upgraded its bilateral relations to Strategic Partnerships with Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Belarus, lifting the total number of Vietnam’s strategic partners to 37. At the same time, it further deepened the traditional friendship and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the Russian Federation, thus strengthening political trust and opening up new areas of cooperation on par with the scope and potential of the bilateral relations in the new era of development.
Second, General Secretary To Lam and the top leaders of the respective countries affirmed that they attach importance to and give top priority for the time-tested traditional bonds of friendship which have been “forged” through the trials of time and history, yet have always stood strong, side by side in the struggle for independence in the past and in today’s nation-building efforts. This spirit of solidarity was a “red thread” running through all meetings between General Secretary To Lam and President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation, and President Aleksandr Lukashenko of Belarus, especially in the context of an increasingly volatile and unpredictable world.
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| Party General Secretary To Lam and Russian President Vladimir Putin at their meeting in Moscow on May 10, 2025. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
Third, important high-level meetings between General Secretary To Lam and leaders of the four countries yielded substantial outcomes, helping to shape the future of bilateral relations between Vietnam and the nations and generating new momentum, not only within traditional frameworks of cooperation, but also in new emerging and high-potential fields commensurate with the newly established relations.
The leadersof Vietnam and the four countries agreed to strengthen political trust through more frequent exchanges of delegations and engagements at all levels, especially at the high-level and across all cooperation channels, the Deputy Prime Minister said.
In terms of economic, trade, and investment cooperation, the leaders reaffirmed the importance of the Inter-governmental Committee mechanism and encouraged efforts to improve its effectiveness. This would enable both sides to propose concrete measures to implement existing commitments and agreements, with the goal of raising bilateral trade to match the strong political relationship. The business environment will also be significantly improved to facilitate long-term investment and operations by enterprises in each other’s markets.
In energy and mining, the leaders agreed to advance cooperation in exploration and oil and gas services, while jointly studying and proposing suitable solutions to promote energy cooperation, including in clean and renewable energy. A wide range of specific measures was also discussed to boost practical cooperation in key areas such as defense and security, science and technology, digital transformation, education and training, high-tech agriculture, transportation, logistics, culture, sports, tourism, labor, people-to-people exchanges, and local-to-local partnerships.
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| Party General Secretary To Lam and Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko at their meeting in Minsk on May 12, 2025. (Photo: Office of the President of Belarus) |
Fourth, at the multilateral level, closer cooperation between Vietnam and these countries is expected within regional and international organizations, especially under the framework of the United Nations and other relevant bodies. General Secretary To Lam and the leaders underscored the importance of maintaining a peaceful, secure, and stable environment in each region, as well as the peaceful resolution of disputes based on the UN Charter and international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
As part of the visit, Vietnam and the countries of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation, and Belarus signed around 60 cooperation agreements between ministries, sectors, and enterprises. These agreements span various fields such as diplomacy, security and defense, science and technology, energy, education and training, aviation, and more—forming an important legal framework to deepen bilateral relations and make them more practical and effective.
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| Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse, togher with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attend Kazakhstan’s Victory Day military parade at the Independence Square in Astana, May 7, 2025. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)
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On the occasion of attending the ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, General Secretary To Lam also held meetings and exchanges with heads of state and other leaders to discuss priorities in developing bilateral relations. The leaders congratulated Vietnam on the successful organization of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, as well as its comprehensive achievements in development.
Implementing key outcomes in priority areas in the time ahead
Deputy Prime Minister Son affirmed that to effectively implement the key outcomes achieved from these visits, a number of key areas will be on focus. In the coming time, working-level agencies in Vietnam and partner countries will coordinate closely and proactively, in alignment with the spirit of the Joint Statements, cooperation agreements, and shared understandings reached by the high-level leaders.
First, there will be regular exchanges of all-level delegations and contacts across all channels, including stronger cooperation among political parties and enhanced engagement between the governments and parliaments of Vietnam and its partners. The role of intergovernmental committees between Vietnam and respective countries will be promoted.
Second, the effective implementation of cooperation mechanisms will be prioritised to elevate the substance and scope of collaboration in all sectors. Building on the joint statements and the common perceptions between leaders, Vietnam and its partners will identify practical solutions to enhance cooperation and jointly address existing challenges.
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| Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son. (Photo: WVR) |
In terms of economic, trade, and investment ties, Vietnam will collaborate closely with its partners both bilaterally – through intergovernmental committees – and multilaterally – such as via the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The goal is to improve the business climate and facilitate long-term investment and business. Joint efforts will also be made to diversify import and export portfolios, and to develop multimodal transport and logistics connectivity, thereby promoting trade to make it commensurate with each side’s potential and strengths.
Relevant ministries, sectors, localities, and enterprises of both Vietnam and its partners will continue to explore opportunities to expand existing cooperation projects in traditional areas such as energy, oil and gas, industry, agriculture, transport, and rail and air connectivity. At the same time, new projects will be developed in emerging fields such as clean and renewable energy, science and technology, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence.
Third, people-to-people exchanges will be strengthened through cultural activities, academic research, education and training, and tourism. These efforts aim to solidify the humanistic foundation of Vietnam's relationships with its partners.
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| Party General Secretary To Lam meets with Russian experts, intellectuals in Moscow. (Photo: Van Hieu) |
The Party and State of Vietnam will continue to support the well-being of Vietnamese communities abroad, while creating favourable conditions for foreign nationals to study, work, and travel in Vietnam. This will help future generations understand and carry forward the role of building bridges and nurturing the long-standing traditional friendships between Vietnam and these countries.
Fourth, Vietnam and its partners will maintain coordination and mutual support in multilateral mechanisms and forums, particularly the United Nations. Building on the foundation of traditional friendship and strong mutual trust, Vietnam will actively engage in discussions with partner countries on regional and international issues of shared concern, stand ready to contribute to peace, stability, and cooperation in the region and the world. The country also wants to serve as a bridge to help strengthen the ties between its partners and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), while hoping that its partners will support Vietnam in expanding cooperation and connectivity with other regions.
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| Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse have a meeting with the Embassy's staff, Vietnamese coummunity in Moscow, Russia, on May 11, 2025. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
The state visits by General Secretary To Lam and his spouse, along with a high-level Vietnamese delegation, to the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Belarus and official visit the Russian Federation — including attendance at the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War — were highly successful. These visits attracted considerable attention and appreciation from both regional and international audiences, significantly contributing to enhancing Vietnam’s international position and prestige.
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| Party General Secretary To Lam meets with former Belarusian experts who supported Vietnam, in Minsk, Belarus, on May 11, 2025. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
The achievements of this diplomatic mission serve as an important foundation, source of momentum, and inspiration for Vietnam and its partner countries to continue preserving, fostering, and enhancing their traditional friendships — contributing to the development of each nation, for the benefit of their people, and for peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world, the Deputy Prime Minister concluded.
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