During a significant diplomatic mission from September 20 to 25, Tô Lâm, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President, made his first visits to the United States and Canada in his current leadership role. The trip aimed to solidify Vietnam’s international position and explore deeper cooperation opportunities, according to Vietnamese Foreign Minister Lê Hoài Trung.
Tô Lâm’s itinerary included attending the 81st United Nations General Assembly session in the United States, where he emphasized Vietnam’s commitment to multilateral cooperation and the UN’s role in tackling global challenges. This marked his inaugural address at the UN as a leader.
Beyond the UN, Tô Lâm engaged in discussions with senior officials, lawmakers, business leaders, and Vietnamese communities in both the US and Canada. Key topics in discussions with US counterparts included bilateral relations, trade, and investment, highlighting areas of mutual interest.
In Canada, the visit culminated in an agreement to elevate Vietnam-Canada relations to a Strategic Partnership, supported by an action plan targeting various cooperation areas. This step signifies a deepening of ties between the two countries, with potential impacts on trade, investment, and other collaborative sectors.
The Vietnamese delegation, comprising officials and business representatives, also engaged in separate meetings with partners in both countries. These discussions led to agreements in sectors such as trade, technology, education, energy, and transport, underscoring the trip’s success in fostering international collaboration.
Lê Hoài Trung highlighted the importance of implementing the commitments reached during Tô Lâm’s visit. He pointed to science and technology, trade, investment, defense and security, energy, and education as focal areas. Additionally, he noted nuclear energy cooperation as an emerging field with promising prospects for expanded collaboration.