Important visits to Vietnam by foreign leaders in 2017

General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith arrived in Hanoi on December 19, beginning his three-day visit to Vietnam at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and President Tran Dai Quang.

1.This was the second visit to Vietnam by General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith during his tenure (2016-2021), aiming to reaffirm Laos’ policy of treasuring the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

Mr Trong and Mr Vorachith held talks after the welcoming ceremony. At the talks, the two Party leaders affirmed that special relations between the Vietnamese and Lao Parties and States hold a strategic significance to the peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the two countries as well as in the region and around the world. They also put emphasis on the success and historical significance of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Year 2017 and considered it an important milestone in the relations of the two countries.

2. General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President Xi Jinping paid a State visit to Vietnam on November 12-13 at the invitation of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Tran Dai Quang. It was the first overseas trip by President Xi Jinping after the CPC’s 19th National Congress. After the welcoming ceremony, talks were held between the two Party chiefs.

After laying a wreath at the President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping strolled around the President Ho Chi Minh relic site with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping held a tea party at the Stilt House of President Ho Chi Minh.

At the talks with President Tran Dai Quang, Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping stressed that he would popularise the result of his State visit to Vietnam to all members of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and help raise awareness among the Chinese party, government, and people on the China-Vietnam relationship.

Before the State visit to Vietnam, Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping attended the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and delivered an important speech at the APEC CEO Summit in Danang City. Pictured is Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping arriving in Danang City on the afternoon of November 10.

3. US President Donald Trump paid a State visit to Vietnam on November 11-12 at the invitation of Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang. This was his first visit to Vietnam.

On the morning of November 12, President Quang hosted an official welcoming ceremony for US President Donald Trump at the Presidential Palace.

At a meeting with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, US President Donald Trump expressed his impression of the land, people, and achievements of Vietnam. He said the US and Vietnam boast many common interests to drive cooperation in the future.

Before his State visit to Vietnam, President Trump attended the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week and delivered an important speech at the APEC CEO Summit in Da Nang.

4. Chilean President Michelle Bachelet Jeria paid a State visit to Vietnam on November 8-9 at the invitation of President Tran Dai Quang.

At talks between President Tran Dai Quang and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet Jeria, the two State leaders shared the view that the comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and Chile over the years has continued to see positive developments across a multitude of areas highlighted by their closer and more trustworthy political relations. Pictured is the two Presidents signing the Vietnam-Chile joint statement.

Before arriving at the Presidential Palace, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet Jeria laid a wreath at the President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and visited the Stilt House of President Ho Chi Minh.

After the State visit to Vietnam, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet Jeria arrived in Da Nang on November 9 to attend the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week.

5. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau paid a State visit to Vietnam on November 8-9 at the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and also attended the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau agreed to establish the framework of a comprehensive partnership between the two countries during their talks in Hanoi on November 8. The establishment of the framework represented an important landmark in bilateral ties, serving as the impetus to promptly augment friendship and extensive cooperation at a time when the two countries have been increasingly sharing interests bilaterally, regionally, and globally.

Photographed is Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visiting the President Ho Chi Minh relic site in Hanoi.

Upon leaving Hanoi, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau toured many places around Ho Chi Minh City. Pictured is Canadian PM Justin Trudeau visiting HCM City Stock Exchange where he rang the gong to get the afternoon trading underway on November 9.

6. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his wife paid a State visit to Vietnam on September 24-26 at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. This was his first visit to Vietnam.

Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong, President Tran Dai Quang, and National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan hosted separate receptions on September 25 for the visiting Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, in Hanoi. The Hungarian Prime Minister held talks with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the same day. Pictured is PM Phuc and his wife posing for a photo with PM Viktor Orban and his wife.

7. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim paid a State visit to Vietnam on August 22-24 at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. During the visit, the two PMs witnessed the signing of an agreement between Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance and Turkey’s Ministry of Customs and Trade on administration cooperation and assistance in customs; a Memorandum of Understanding between Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment and Turkey’s Ministry of Economy on a partnership in developing export processing and special economic zones; and a plan to implement cooperation between Vietnam’s Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality, and Turkey’s Standards Institution in 2017-2018.

8. Mozambique’s Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosario paid an official visit to Vietnam from July 31-August 3 at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc. During the visit, the two Prime Ministers witnessed the signing of an MOU on wildlife protection and conservation and the initialing of an agreement on aviation transport services. Pictured is Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (left) and Mozambique’s Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosario (right).

9. President of the Czech Republic Milos Zeman and his wife paid a State visit to Vietnam on June 6-8 at the invitation of President Tran Dai Quang. After the welcoming ceremony, President Quang held talks with his Czech counterpart Zema. Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue then received the Czech President. Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong hosted a reception for the Czech President. He also met National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

10. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghen and his wife paid a State visit to Vietnam on April 16-18 at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. He held talks with PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc, met Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Tran Dai Quang, and National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, and attended a Vietnam-Sri Lanka investment forum. Pictured is Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong receiving Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe.

11. Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife paid a State visit to Vietnam on March 21-24 at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. This was his third visit to Vietnam as a prime minister, after his previous visits in 2010 and 2013.

After holding talks with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong met Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Tran Dai Quang, and National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. He then laid a wreath at the President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Pictured is Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (left) and NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (right).

During his visit to Vietnam, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife worked with leaders of Ho Chi Minh City, visited some historical sites in the city, met with the Singaporean business community in the city, and officiated the opening of the Mapletree Business Centre. Pictured is Singaporean PM Lee Hsien Loong posing for photo with staff of the Mapletree Business Centre.

12. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife paid an official visit to Vietnam on January 16-17 at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe held talks with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, met Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Tran Dai Quang, National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Politburo member and Head of the Party Central Committee’s Organisation Commission Pham Minh Chinh, the Director of the Vietnam National University-Hanoi, and lecturers and students of the Vietnam-Japan University. Pictured is Japanese PM Shinzo Abe (left) and President Tran Dai Quang (right).

Photographed is Japanese PM Shinzo Abe co-chairing the Vietnam-Japan business talks with PM Phuc.