Party head meets with Kazakh Senate Chairperson in Astana's capital city.

ASTANA - General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam's Central Committee Tô Lâm, on his first such visit since 13 years, met with Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan Maulen Ashimbayev in Astana on May 5, 2025. This historic meeting signifies a significant step in the development of bilateral relations between the two nations.

Upon arrival, Ashimbayev warmly welcomed Tô Lâm, expressing his pleasure at the visit and congratulating Vietnam on its successful organization of the grand celebration of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification.

Emphasizing the significance of the first-ever visit by a General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1992, Ashimbayev reaffirmed Kazakhstan's importance as a reliable and vital partner in Southeast Asia for Vietnam.

Recalling President Hồ Chí Minh's visit to Kazakhstan in 1959, Ashimbayev acknowledged the legacy of their shared history and believed that the new visit would serve as a continuation of the tradition of close relations between the two countries, opening up new paths for cooperation.

Responding to the warm welcome, Tô Lâm expressed gratitude to Kazakhstan for its unwavering support throughout Vietnam's past struggles for national liberation and its current endeavors in national construction and development. He highlighted that the visit held special significance as it came at a time when Vietnam celebrated the 50th anniversary of the April 30, 1975 victory, and Kazakhstan celebrated the 80th anniversary of the victory over fascism, laying the foundation for the August Revolution and the existence of Vietnam today.

Extending congratulations on Kazakhstan's great achievements under the leadership of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and other high-ranking officials, Tô Lâm expressed Vietnam's desire to learn from Kazakhstan's strategies in promoting socio-economic development and enhancing its international standing.

Citing an increased need for cooperation in these challenging global times, Tô Lâm expressed his conviction that bilateral relations would serve as a bridge connecting Europe and Asia, fostering peace, cooperation, and development in the region and worldwide.

Both sides acknowledged the sound progress in their political ties, frequent exchanges at all levels, and the significance of parliamentary cooperation as a key pillar for the development of bilateral relations.

The leaders agreed to strengthen parliamentary collaboration, increase delegate exchanges through parliamentary channels, improve the implementation of cooperation agreements, and expand collaboration in training, policymaking, political party building, and youth agency cooperation to foster mutual understanding.

In recognition of the importance of this visit and the present state of bilateral relations, both leaders exchanged warm invitations for visits to their respective countries. The meeting concluded with optimism and anticipation of even closer relations in the future.

Historical Background

Vietnam and Kazakhstan have enjoyed a steadily strengthening traditional friendship since establishing diplomatic relations on June 29, 1992. Over the years, high-level visits from the Vietnamese side have included Prime Ministers Võ Văn Kiệt in 1994, Nguyễn Tấn Dũng in 2009 and 2015, President Trương Tấn Sang in 2012, and National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân in 2017.

Current State of Relationship

Bilateral Visits and Cooperation

Maintaining consistent high-level exchanges, with notable visits including National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân’s visit in 2017.
The recent visit of Party General Secretary Tô Lâm is the first such visit by a top Vietnamese leader in 13 years and the first-ever visit by a General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

General Secretary Tô Lâm (left) meets with Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan Maulen Ashimbayev on Monday (local time). - VNA/VNS Photo

Economic Cooperation

Trade between Vietnam and Kazakhstan has doubled from around $400 million in 2022 to nearly $1 billion by 2023-2024.
Vietnamese businesses are eyeing investment opportunities in sectors such as oil and gas, real estate, food, and tourism in Kazakhstan.
The direct flight between Almaty and Cam Ranh inaugurated by Vietjet Air in October 2022 has increased tourism exchanges, with Kazakhstan emerging as a growing source of visitors for Vietnam.

Future Prospects

The developing relationship offers opportunities for expanded cooperation in energy, digital technology, artificial intelligence, and other emergent fields.
The strategic locations of both countries as gateways to ASEAN and Central Asia make them ideal partners in strengthening regional connectivity, particularly through the Vietnam-Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Free Trade Agreement.

Tô Lâm emphasized Vietnam's interest in learning from Kazakhstan's strategies in promoting AI and socio-economic development, as he praised Kazakhstan's achievements under the leadership of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
The leaders discussed the need for stronger collaboration in trade, with a focus on sectors like oil and gas, real estate, food, and tourism, as well as expanding cooperation in AI and other emergent fields.
Recalling the historical visit of President Hồ Chí Minh to Kazakhstan in 1959, Tô Lâm highlighted the special significance of the current visit in commemorating the 50th anniversary of the April 30, 1975 victory and Kazakhstan's 80th anniversary of the victory over fascism.
Furthermore, Tô Lâm mentioned the importance of parliamentary collaboration to improve the implementation of cooperation agreements and enhance mutual understanding, as both leaders emphasized the significance of political ties and frequent exchanges at all levels.
In the context of challenging global times, Tô Lâm expressed his conviction that the strengthening of bilateral relations would serve as a bridge connecting Europe and Asia, fostering peace, cooperation, and development in the region and worldwide.
Reflecting on the past, both Tô Lâm and Ashimbayev acknowledged the legacy of their shared history and believed that the new visit would serve as a continuation of the tradition of close relations between the two countries, opening up new paths for cooperation.