Vietnamese president extends formal welcome to Sri Lankan counterpart in Hanoi

Hà Nội Welcomes Sri Lankan President Amid Strengthening Ties

Vietnamese president extends formal welcome to Sri Lankan counterpart in Hanoi

Hà NộI - State President Lương Cường presided over a warm welcome ceremony for Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka on Monday. The Sri Lankan leader is in Việt Nam on a state visit from May 4 to 6.

Amidst the festivities, the two leaders shared a moment listening to the national anthems of Sri Lanka and Việt Nam, inspected the Việt Nam People's Army's guard of honor, and introduced their high-level delegations. Following the ceremony, they convened for bilateral discussions, reviewing the progress of their bilateral cooperation and plotting future collaborative endeavors.

The visit, President Dissanayaka's first to Việt Nam since taking office in November, is scheduled to include a joint press briefing and the signing of cooperation agreements. It comes as ViẹŤt Nam and Sri Lanka celebrate 55 years of diplomatic relations and aims to further solidify political trust and expand mutually beneficial cooperation across various sectors.

Việt Nam and Sri Lanka have long enjoyed stable and dynamic relations since diplomatic ties were established in 1970. Sri Lanka has voiced unwavering admiration toward Việt Nam, viewing it as a model of economic growth and international integration. High-level visits have historically played a crucial role in fostering these enduring bonds.

Hà Nội children wave flags to welcome Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka and State President Lương Cường (left) at the welcome ceremony on May 5. - VNA/VNS Photo

In recent years, trade has flourished between the two nations, with approximately US$200 million in annual two-way trade, primarily consisting of Việt Nam's exports. Both sides strive to elevate bilateral trade to $1 billion in the coming years.

Looking ahead, the two countries are poised to further deepen their ties, capitalizing on mutual trust and shared development goals. President Dissanayaka's visit underscores Sri Lanka's commitment to its traditional friendship with Việt Nam and signals its resolve to explore new avenues for collaboration in areas such as digital transformation, digital economy, energy transition, artificial intelligence, and connectivity.

A Brief History of High-Level Exchanges Between Vietnam and Sri Lanka

Since formalizing diplomatic relations in 1970, high-level exchanges between Vietnam and Sri Lanka have repeatedly reinforced the burgeoning ties between the two nations:

The two leaders review the guard of honour of the Việt Nam People's Army at the ceremony on Monday. VNA/VNS Photo

Prime Minister Pham Van Dong's Visit (1978): One of the earliest significant visits by a Vietnamese leader to Sri Lanka.
President Truong Tan Sang's Visit (2011): A highlight showcasing the growing political and economic ties.
Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan's Visit (2013): Emphasizing legislative cooperation.
Sri Lankan Visits: President Mahinda Rajapaksa (2009), Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa (2013), and Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne (2014) all emphasized inter-parliamentary and cultural exchanges.

Recent Agreements and Cooperation

During President Dissanayaka's visit, the leaders agreed on several key areas for cooperation, including:

Strengthening political and people-to-people ties
Enhancing defense and security ties through collaboration on peacekeeping operations
Boosting economic and trade cooperation, with a focus on creating opportunities for Vietnamese investments and expanding cooperation in agriculture, education, and tourism
Deepening multilateral cooperation, particularly at the United Nations and in South-South cooperation.

A view of the welcome ceremony. - VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

These developments highlight the evolving and comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and Sri Lanka, symbolizing their mutual commitment to fostering lasting friendships and beneficial collaborations.

The Sri Lankan President, Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, is currently in Vietnam on a state visit from May 4 to 6, presided over by State President Lương Cường.
During the visit, both leaders are expected to discuss their bilateral cooperation and future collaborative endeavors, aiming to expand mutually beneficial cooperation across various sectors.
Trade between Vietnam and Sri Lanka has seen significant growth, with approximately $200 million in annual two-way trade, primarily comprising Vietnam's exports.
The two countries are enthusiastic about elevating their bilateral trade to $1 billion in the coming years, with potential growth in areas such as digital transformation, digital economy, energy transition, artificial intelligence, and connectivity.
Among the historical high-level exchanges between the two nations, notable visits include Prime Minister Pham Van Dong's trip to Sri Lanka in 1978 and President Truong Tan Sang's visit in 2011.
During President Dissanayaka's visit, both leaders agreed to strengthen political and people-to-people ties, enhance defense and security ties, boost economic and trade cooperation, and deepen multilateral cooperation.