Vietnam, Belarus agree to boost bilateral trade

A new chapter in bilateral relations

On the afternoon of May 12 (local time), during his state visit to the Republic of Belarus, General Secretary To Lam held talks in Minsk with Chairwoman of The Council of the Republic Natalya Kochanova and Chairman of the House of Representatives Igor Sergeyenko, and leaders of the Communist Party and the Belaya Rus party.

General Secretary To Lam at a meeting with Chairwoman of the Council of the Republic Natalya Kochanova (left), and Chairman of the House of Deputies Igor Sergeyenko (right) on May 12. Photo: TTXVN

Belarusian parliamentary leaders warmly welcomed General Secretary To Lam and the high-level Vietnamese delegation, hailing their visit as a significant event coinciding with the solemn commemoration of historic milestones: the 80th anniversary of the victory over fascism and the 50th anniversary of South Vietnam’s liberation and national reunification.

Belarusian parliamentary leaders congratulated the Vietnamese people on their socio-economic achievements and extended their congratulations to General Secretary To Lam on being awarded the Order of Friendship by President Alexander Lukashenko, a recognition of his outstanding contributions to strengthening Vietnam–Belarus relations.

Belarus emphasized that General Secretary To Lam’s visit was a historic one, and that the newly signed agreements during this visit marked the beginning of a new chapter in bilateral cooperation.

Expressing his pleasure at returning to the beautiful country of Belarus in his new role, General Secretary To Lam conveyed his deep appreciation for the warm and respectful welcome by Belarusian leaders and people, including members of Parliament and political parties.

The General Secretary congratulated Belarus on its development progress and its growing international standing. Reaffirming Vietnam’s high regard for the traditional friendship established since 1957—when President Ho Chi Minh first visited Belarus—General Secretary To Lam also expressed gratitude for Belarus’s past support for Vietnam’s struggle for independence and unification, as well as its continued support for the country’s current development efforts.

Vietnam and Belarus have agreed to elevate their bilateral ties into a new phase of comprehensive cooperation under a modern development framework, guided by specific and practical measures.

Expanding Cooperation Across All Sectors

In line with the newly upgraded Strategic Partnership and amid increasing global complexity, both countries agreed to step up exchanges of delegations and high-level contacts. Vietnam and Belarus also committed to boosting bilateral trade, strengthening cooperation in science and technology, education and training, culture, and tourism. The two countries will consider establishing a direct air route to facilitate people-to-people exchanges and expand cooperation among localities.

Regarding inter-parliamentary and inter-party collaboration, both sides agreed to promote regular delegation exchanges between the two national assemblies and between the Communist Party of Vietnam and Belarusian political parties. They also pledged to closely monitor the implementation of signed agreements, particularly the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union.

Further cooperation will include the exchange of information and experience on party-building, legislative affairs, and parliamentary activities; enhanced engagement between specialized committees; closer ties among friendship parliamentarian groups and young legislators; and mutual support at multilateral forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA). The two countries also expressed a desire to jointly propose initiatives at international parliamentary platforms.

General Secretary To Lam thanked the Belarusian Parliament for supporting the Vietnamese community living, studying, and working in Belarus, and expressed hope that such support would continue, enabling the community to contribute positively to Belarus’s development and the enduring friendship between the two nations.