The meetings came as Vietnam continues to strengthen ties with partners across Europe and Africa and with regional and international organisations, while expanding cooperation into emerging areas with high technological content and added value.

Consolidating traditional ties

Meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam reaffirmed Vietnam’s importance attached to its traditional friendship with Serbia and welcomed Serbia’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).

He congratulated Serbia on its socio-economic development and international integration achievements, including the international community’s confidence in Belgrade to host EXPO 2027.

Looking to further advance bilateral relations, General Secretary and President To Lam invited President Vučić to pay an official visit to Vietnam. The Serbian leader thanked Vietnamese leaders and people for their sentiments and support, expressing his readiness to strengthen the traditional friendship and arrange a visit to Vietnam at the earliest suitable time.

Relations with Bulgaria also featured prominently in the discussions between General Secretary and President To Lam and Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Georgiev Radev.

General Secretary and President To Lam underscored Vietnam’s high regard for the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries. He called for regular exchanges at all levels, particularly high-level contacts, ahead of the 70th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s visit to Bulgaria in August 2027.

He also appreciated the Bulgarian leadership and people’s support for the Vietnamese community in the country, enabling its members to live, work and do business legally and integrate into local society on a stable, long-term basis.

Prime Minister Radev welcomed the proposal to maintain regular high-level contacts focused on substantive issues, with a view to bringing bilateral relations to new heights.

In his meeting with President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou N’Guesso, General Secretary and President To Lam noted positive progress in bilateral relations, particularly in trade, and invited the Congolese leader to visit Vietnam.

President Denis Sassou N’Guesso welcomed the invitation and expressed his readiness to support cooperation and investment by Vietnamese businesses in the Republic of the Congo.

The two sides also agreed to continue coordinating at multilateral forums, including the United Nations and the International Organisation of La Francophonie, with the Congolese side ready to serve as a bridge between Vietnam and other African countries as well as the African Union (AU).

Expanding into emerging fields

Meeting with Finnish President Alexander Stubb Turning, General Secretary and President To Lam highlighted the positive momentum in bilateral relations since the two countries established a Strategic Partnership in October 2025.

The two sides agreed to make better use of their cooperation potential, with Vietnam proposing stronger collaboration in trade, science and technology, energy, satellites, cybersecurity, wastewater treatment and green infrastructure.

President Alexander Stubb welcomed the assessment of the positive developments in bilateral ties and said the two sides are taking concrete steps to implement the outcomes of the Vietnamese leader’s official visit to Finland in October 2025.

They also discussed continued mutual support for each other’s candidates for important positions at the United Nations and other international organizations.

In his meeting with Prime Minister Luc Frieden of Luxembourg, General Secretary and President To Lam outlined Vietnam’s development vision and targets for 2030 and 2045, highlighting science and technology, innovation, digital transformation and green growth as key drivers of the country’s new development phase.

He encouraged Luxembourg to continue supporting Vietnam, particularly in developing an international financial centre and building international partnerships in green finance - the areas where Luxembourg has considerable expertise and experience.

Prime Minister Luc Frieden spoke highly of Vietnam’s development achievements and its increasingly active role in the region and internationally. He welcomed Vietnam’s development vision and expressed Luxembourg’s readiness to contribute experience, connect knowledge and mobilise resources in areas including green finance and the development of an international financial centre.

Deepening cooperation with the EU

Meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, General Secretary and President To Lam reaffirmed Vietnam’s high regard for its relationship with the EU, describing the bloc as one of Vietnam’s leading partners across a wide range of fields, particularly science, technology and innovation.

He encouraged both sides to continue coordinating on issues of shared concern and to translate existing commitments into concrete projects and outcomes, thereby making cooperation more commensurate with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established between Vietnam and the EU in January 2026.

EC President Von der Leyen welcomed Vietnam’s active participation in and contribution to joint efforts to shape the governance of outer space in a peaceful, safe, sustainable and equitable manner for the common benefit of humanity.

She also praised the important and substantive progress in Vietnam-EU relations since the two sides elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in January 2026.

The meetings in Paris underscored Vietnam’s proactive use of international forums to deepen ties with partners, from consolidating traditional friendships to expanding cooperation in emerging fields such as science and technology, space, digital transformation, green finance and sustainable infrastructure, while strengthening coordination through multilateral mechanisms.