The King and Queen of Bhutan arrive in Hanoi.

On the afternoon of August 18th, the special aircraft carrying the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, and the Queen landed at Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi).

The King and Queen of Bhutan began their visit to Vietnam from August 18-22 at the invitation of President Luong Cuong and his wife.

This is the first state visit to Vietnam by the King and Queen of Bhutan since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 2012.

Welcoming the King and Queen at the airport were: Minister of Ethnic Minorities and Religion Dao Ngoc Dung; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong; and representatives from the Office of the President , as well as representatives from various units of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Accompanying the King and Queen were: Venerable Sangay Dorji, of the Central Sangha of Bhutan; Mr. DNDhungyel, Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Bhutan; Mr. Namgyal Dorji, Minister of Industry, Trade and Employment of Bhutan; Mr. Dasho Ugyen K. Namgyel, Assistant to the King; Mr. Sonam Wangyel, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Home Affairs of Bhutan; Mr. Karma Wangchuk, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of Bhutan; and Mr. Kinzang Dorji, Ambassador of Bhutan to Thailand and concurrently to Vietnam.

Minister of Ethnic Minorities and Religion Dao Ngoc Dung welcomes the King and Queen of Bhutan at the airport. Photo: VNA.

The visit takes place amidst positive developments in relations between Vietnam and Bhutan.

The visit not only demonstrates Bhutan's appreciation for Vietnam's strong development and the multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, but also clearly illustrates Vietnam's foreign policy: independence, self-reliance, multilateralism, diversification of relations, for peace, cooperation, and development.

This is an important occasion to shape and deepen relations between the two countries. The King of Bhutan is expected to hold talks with President Luong Cuong, meet with General Secretary To Lam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, and participate in several other important activities.

The leaders of the two countries will discuss and set the direction for bilateral relations and identify key areas of cooperation in the coming period. They will exchange experiences in national governance, socio-economic development coupled with improving people's welfare, preserving cultural identity, and protecting the environment.

Although investment and trade cooperation remains modest, an increasing number of Vietnamese businesses are seeking opportunities in Bhutan. Currently, Vietnam has one active investment project in the furniture and construction sector in the country.

Tourism cooperation is a highlight in bilateral relations. Many Vietnamese people travel to explore Bhutan, a country famous for using its happiness index to measure development, and home to many beautiful natural landscapes and Buddhist temples. At the same time, an increasing number of Bhutanese people are traveling to Vietnam.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/quoc-vuong-bhutan-va-hoang-hau-den-ha-noi-2433272.html