Top leader’s visit - A milestone to elevate Vietnam–Sri Lanka ties to new heights

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam’s upcoming state visit to Sri Lanka will generate fresh momentum and shape a new cooperation framework for bilateral ties, delivering breakthroughs in key areas including economy, trade, investment, agriculture, aviation and logistics through concrete agreements.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam receives Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and State President To Lam’s upcoming state visit to Sri Lanka is considered a new milestone in the relations between Vietnam and the South Asian country.

The May 7-8 visit, following his state trip to India, marks the highest-level visit by a Vietnamese leader to Sri Lanka since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1970, and is expected to further strengthen the traditional friendship between the two countries and foster ties among their leaders and people.

Over 50 years of sound traditional friendship

Vietnam and Sri Lanka established diplomatic relations on July 21, 1970. Their relationship is rooted in long-standing historical and cultural connections, notably shared Buddhist values and common aspirations for peace, independence, freedom and happiness for the people.

President Ho Chi Minh visited Sri Lanka in 1911, 1928 and 1946, and has been deeply respected by generations of Sri Lankan leaders and people. A monument dedicated to him in Colombo stands as a lasting symbol of bilateral friendship.

Over the past 56 years, Vietnam and Sri Lanka have consistently strengthened their traditional friendship and expanded multifaceted cooperation for the benefit of their people. The current Sri Lankan Government regards Vietnam as a model of successful economic development and international integration. Sri Lanka has also recognised Vietnam as a full market economy.

The strong and enduring relationship between the two countries has been marked by high-level visits and engagements by their leaders, including Prime Minister Pham Van Dong’s visit to Sri Lanka in 1978 and President Truong Tan Sang’s visit in 2011.

Key Sri Lankan leaders also paid multiple visits to Vietnam. In 2025, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake paid a state visit to Vietnam and attended the UN Vesak celebration, during which both sides issued a Joint Statement and signed cooperation agreements across trade, agriculture, science-technology and digital transformation. This opens up opportunities to raise bilateral trade to 1 billion USD and expand cooperation into new areas such as renewable energy, tourism, education, and high technology.

Parliamentary cooperation has also been strengthened with the establishment of the Sri Lanka–Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group in 2025.

Vietnam and Sri Lanka have established several important mechanisms that serve as a foundation for cooperation, including the Joint Commission at the foreign minister level, the deputy foreign minister-level political consultation, and the joint trade committee.

The two countries have coordinated closely at international and regional forums, supporting each other’s candidacies to UN bodies. Sri Lanka supported Vietnam’s elections to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023–2025 term and to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for 2023–2027, while Vietnam backed Sri Lanka’s bids for a seat at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the 2025–2027 term and the UNESCO Executive Board for 2023–2027.

Plenty of room for economic-trade cooperation

Economic and trade ties between Vietnam and Sri Lanka have remained modest, with two-way trade reaching around 200 million USD annually. Both sides aim to raise this figure to 1 billion USD.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath visits the Vietnamese booth at the "2024 Cultural Festival in Sri Lanka" (Colombo, December 9, 2024). (Photo: VNA)

The two economies are complementary, with Vietnam exporting electronics, garments and industrial materials, while Sri Lanka supplies tea, rubber and agricultural products. Sri Lanka currently has 33 valid investment projects in Vietnam with total registered capital of about 43 million USD.

Cooperation has also expanded across various sectors, including finance, agriculture, education, transport, culture, tourism, religion and people-to-people exchanges, supported by more than 30 signed agreements.

Cultural and religious exchanges, particularly through Buddhism, continue to serve as a key pillar of bilateral relations, fostering closer people-to-people ties. Plans to open direct air routes are expected to further promote tourism and trade. In 2025, more than 14,000 Sri Lankan visitors travelled to Vietnam for tourism and business opportunities.

The enduring bond from past to present provides a solid foundation for Vietnam and Sri Lanka to elevate their bilateral ties, equipping both nations with the strength and momentum to move forward confidently into a new phase of development. Against this backdrop, the upcoming visit by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam is seen as a new milestone in bilateral relations.

According to Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong, the visit is expected to create new momentum for bilateral ties, enhancing political trust and expanding cooperation in a more substantive and effective manner.

The visit not only reaffirms Vietnam’s strong commitment to advancing relations with Sri Lanka, but also reflects the shared determination to elevate their traditional friendship from deep historical roots to a partnership for joint development and shared prosperity for both nations.

It also aims to shape a long-term cooperation framework, tapping into Sri Lanka’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean and its market potential. In addition, the visit is also hoped to advance cooperation in maritime affairs, maritime security, and port connectivity, while strengthening collaboration in culture, tourism, Buddhism, and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, said the diplomat.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Trinh Thi Tam held that the visit offers an important opportunity for both sides to discuss measures to advance economic, trade and investment cooperation, while expanding collaboration in potential sectors such as agriculture, high technology, fisheries, education and training, tourism, and logistics, as well as to sign or promote new cooperation agreements.

Tam expressed confidence that the visit will generate fresh momentum and shape a new cooperation framework for bilateral ties, delivering breakthroughs in key areas including economy, trade, investment, agriculture, aviation and logistics through concrete agreements. It is also expected to open up new avenues of cooperation, particularly in the digital economy, innovation and energy transition, in line with the development needs of each country in the coming period, she added.

Along with the trip to India, the top Vietnamese leader's state visit to Sri Lanka underscores Vietnam’s strong interest in and appreciation to South Asia, as well as the country’s determination to deepen cooperation with countries in the region for the benefit of their people and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region./.

VNA