General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam To Lam is paying a State visit to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka from May 7 to 8.

At the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam To Lam, accompanied by a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, is paying a State visit to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka from May 7 to 8.

The visit carries special significance for both nations. It marks the first-ever visit to Sri Lanka by a Vietnamese leader concurrently serving as General Secretary and President, underscoring Vietnam’s strong commitment to its traditional friendship with Sri Lanka while opening up new opportunities to elevate bilateral ties to a higher level.

Together with the State visit to India, General Secretary and President To Lam’s visit to Sri Lanka reflects Vietnam’s determination to strengthen cooperation with South Asia for the benefit of the peoples of Vietnam and regional countries, as well as for peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region.

The friendship between Vietnam and Sri Lanka has been nurtured through close cultural and religious bonds, shared values of peace, friendship, stability, and cooperation, as well as the sincere affection between the two peoples. Generations of Sri Lankan leaders and citizens have held deep admiration and respect for Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh, particularly for the Vietnamese people’s indomitable struggle for national independence. Vietnam, as a politically stable Southeast Asian nation with a dynamic and rapidly growing economy, is regarded by Sri Lanka as both a development model to learn from and an important partner for cooperation.

Over more than half a century since the two countries officially established diplomatic relations in 1970, the traditional friendship and fruitful cooperation between Vietnam and Sri Lanka have achieved many important milestones, overcoming historical fluctuations in each country and the wider region. Situated at strategic positions in the Indo-Pacific region, both countries are striving to realise their respective development aspirations amid an increasingly complex and unpredictable international environment. Relations between Vietnam and Sri Lanka, two traditional friends and close partners, have brought tangible benefits to their peoples while contributing to peace and stability in the region and beyond.

Warm and enduring friendship has served as a driving force for deepening bilateral cooperation. In recent years, the two sides have actively maintained high-level and multi-level exchanges across Party, State, parliamentary, and people-to-people channels, as well as through contacts at multilateral events. Political trust has become an important foundation for expanding cooperation across numerous sectors. Sri Lanka has officially recognised Vietnam as a full market economy.

In 2025, bilateral trade turnover reached approximately USD 260 million, up 20% compared to 2024. Sri Lanka currently has more than 30 investment projects in Vietnam with total registered capital of around USD 43 million.

In addition, bilateral cooperation in finance, agriculture, education, transportation, culture, tourism, religion, and people-to-people exchanges has continued to develop steadily. The two countries signed an Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation in October 2005 and an Agreement on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Customs Matters in May 2025.

At international and regional forums, the two countries have maintained a longstanding tradition of close coordination and mutual support, particularly within the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, South-South cooperation frameworks, and other issues of shared concern.

At a time when Vietnam is entering a new era of development with strong determination, aspiration, and confidence, General Secretary and President To Lam’s State visit to Sri Lanka reaffirms the consistent foreign policy line set forth at the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Politburo Resolution No. 34-NQ/TW on independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation, and diversification of foreign relations, with particular importance attached to ties with South Asia and Sri Lanka. Elevating relations with traditional friends, including Sri Lanka, to a new height carries profound significance, creating fresh momentum and added strength for Vietnam in its new stage of development.