Hanoi (VNA) – Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão departed Hanoi on June 10, concluding his official visit to Vietnam and participation in the third ASEAN Future Forum (AFF 2026) from June 7-10 at the invitation of Vietnamese PM Le Minh Hung.
During the trip, PM Gusmão and the high-level Timor-Leste delegation paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum and laid a wreath at the Monument to Heroes and Martyrs in Hanoi.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam received the Timor-Leste PM, while PM Hung chaired an official welcome ceremony and held talks with him. National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man also met with the Timorese leader.
At the meetings, the Vietnamese leaders said the visit reflected the high degree of political trust, friendship and mutual support between the two countries. They congratulated Timor-Leste on its recent achievements, particularly its formal accession to ASEAN, describing the milestone as a significant step towards strengthening the bloc's unity, centrality and vitality.
They expressed confidence that with its strong commitment to integration, Timor-Leste will soon participate fully and effectively in ASEAN’s cooperation mechanisms, thereby joining other member states in making positive contributions to regional peace, stability, and sustainable development.
For his part, PM Gusmão congratulated Vietnam on its socio-economic accomplishments and the successful organisation of AFF 2026, describing the forum as a valuable platform for shaping regional vision and advancing cooperation.
Thanking Vietnam for its consistent support throughout Timor-Leste's journey towards ASEAN membership, he said Vietnam has been not only a trusted friend but also a close development partner.
Both sides agreed that Vietnam and Timor-Leste possess substantial potential and complementary strengths to broaden cooperation for the benefit of their people and to contribute to a stable, resilient and sustainable region. They pledged to deepen political trust and step up high-level exchanges and contacts through Party, State, Government and parliamentary channels, alongside stronger people-to-people ties.
The two countries' leaders also agreed to effectively implement high-level agreements and sign documents, including the Framework Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation; to convene the first meeting of the Vietnam–Timor-Leste Joint Commission, co-chaired by the two Foreign Ministers, at an early date; and to work towards elevating bilateral relations to a new level on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2027.
Several cooperation documents were exchanged on the occasion. They include a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on higher education cooperation between Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training and Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Culture; an MoU on education cooperation between Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training and Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Education; an agreement on visa exemption for holders of ordinary passports between the Governments of Vietnam and Timor-Leste; and an MoU on cooperation between the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the TATOLI News Agency.
Addressing the opening session of AFF 2026 for the first time as the leader of an ASEAN member state, PM Gusmão said that in a world increasingly marked by conflicts, geopolitical tensions, challenges to international law and the boom of artificial intelligence (AI), ASEAN continues to serve as a model of dialogue, cooperation and the ability to bridge differences.
He said the bloc's diversity in history, culture, and political systems has become a source of strength, helping ASEAN preserve peace and stability over the years.
The Timor-Leste PM urged ASEAN to uphold its unity, stand firmly in defending international law and become a stronger voice for peace in an increasingly polarised world, while continuing to adhere to the principles of respect for sovereignty, consensus and the peaceful settlement of disputes./.
