Actively contribute to the common future, strengthen relationships with friends and partners

General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife depart from Hanoi to attend the Summit on the Future of the United Nations General Assembly, the 79th session, work in the United States, and pay a state visit to Cuba. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam's active, proactive, and responsible participation in the Future Summit of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly will contribute to enhancing Vietnam's international standing and further deepening and enhancing the effectiveness of relations between Vietnam and the United Nations, its partners, and international friends. The trip will also contribute to further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership for peace , cooperation, and sustainable development between Vietnam and the United States.

The State visit to Cuba affirms the unwavering solidarity and loyalty of the Party, State, and people of Vietnam towards the Party, State, and people of Cuba, contributing to the continued development of the deep and effective friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba.

Vietnam officially joined the United Nations on September 20, 1977. Looking back over the past nearly half a century, the relationship between Vietnam and the United Nations has deepened and been continuously strengthened.

The development of relations between the two sides contributes to protecting and promoting Vietnam's national interests, especially maintaining and strengthening a peaceful, secure, and favorable environment for national development; promoting deeper international integration and contributing to enhancing Vietnam's position and image in the international arena. This relationship also contributes to deepening relations between Vietnam and other countries and partners, and securing important resources to serve the country's development.

Vietnam has increasingly participated proactively and actively, making substantial and far-reaching contributions to all the pillars of the United Nations' activities. Vietnam has been elected to many positions and bodies and has left many significant marks within the United Nations. Vietnam has successfully held many important positions at the United Nations, such as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the terms 2008-2009 and 2020-2021; a member of the Human Rights Council for the terms 2014-2016 and 2023-2025; a member of the International Law Commission for the term 2023-2027; Vice President of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly; and a member of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and the International Law Commission.

With numerous significant contributions, Vietnam has helped to enhance the role of the United Nations and multilateralism, promoting respect for the UN Charter, international law, equal relations, and development cooperation among nations. Vietnam has participated in the discussions and adoption of many important UN resolutions and declarations on development cooperation, disarmament, combating the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, counter-terrorism, and ensuring human rights.

The current global situation continues to be complex. While peace and cooperation remain the dominant trends, strategic competition and confrontation among major powers are becoming increasingly intense, profoundly impacting global security, economy, and trade, and posing significant challenges to multilateralism in general and the United Nations in particular.

General Secretary and President To Lam delivered a recorded message at the event "Global Call for a Future Summit". (Photo: VNA)

Against this backdrop, the United Nations organized the Summit on the Future with the theme “Multilateral Solutions for a Better Future” from September 22-23 and the High-Level General Debate of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly with the theme “Leaving No One Behind: Acting Together to Promote Peace, Sustainable Development and Human Dignity for Present and Future Generations” from September 24-28 to unify global solutions to future challenges, as well as pressing global issues today.

Ahead of the Summit, General Secretary and President To Lam sent a video message to the event, a global call for a Future Summit. In the message, the General Secretary and President emphasized that the Future Summit is an opportunity for the United Nations and multilateralism to affirm irreplaceable values in the face of the immense challenges of our time.

The General Secretary and President expressed his hope that the Future Summit would bring new thinking and new approaches to the future of the world and suggested focusing discussions on transformative solutions, including transformation in science, technology and innovation, green transformation and transformation of global governance.

According to the General Secretary and President, Vietnam is committed to making positive contributions to the Future Summit and joint efforts to strengthen international peace, cooperation, and solidarity, contributing to the effective implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), so that people can fully enjoy the fruits of development and be prepared for future generations.

The trip to attend the Summit on the Future and the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly was the first multilateral diplomatic activity of General Secretary and President To Lam at the largest and most important global forum.

General Secretary and President To Lam, along with the high-level Vietnamese delegation, carried a strong and overarching message: strengthening multilateralism and working together to build a peaceful, stable, prosperous, and sustainable future for all people. This trip will clearly demonstrate Vietnam's image as an active, proactive, and responsible member of the international community.

Vietnam-US relations have continued their positive development in recent years, most notably the upgrading of relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Cooperation, and Sustainable Development in September 2023. For the past year, this new framework has been actively implemented by both sides, yielding many practical results.

Contact and exchange activities took place actively at all channels and levels. Along with maintaining regular bilateral dialogue mechanisms, such as the Asia-Pacific Dialogue and the Dialogue on the Law of the Sea, the two sides for the first time held an annual Foreign Ministers' Dialogue, an Economic Dialogue, and a Deputy Ministers' Dialogue on Security and Law Enforcement.

President To Lam receives US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who visited Vietnam to offer condolences and pay respects to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on July 27, 2024. (Photo: VNA)

Economic, trade, and investment cooperation continues to be a vital driving force in bilateral relations. The United States remains Vietnam's largest export market. Meanwhile, Vietnam has become the United States' eighth-largest trading partner globally and its largest in ASEAN. Vietnam is also the sixth-largest import market for U.S. goods.

Bilateral trade turnover has increased by an average of approximately 16% per year. Two-way trade turnover in the first eight months of 2024 reached nearly $88 billion, a 22% increase compared to the same period in 2023. For the first time, the United States has become the largest export market for Vietnamese agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products.

The United States is the 11th largest foreign investor in Vietnam, with diverse investment forms. The US ranks 7th among countries and territories receiving investment from Vietnam. Many large businesses from both countries are actively expanding their investments in each other's markets, thereby creating intertwined interests.

Security and defense cooperation has been maintained at a level appropriate to the scope of cooperation, with diverse areas of collaboration, notably in addressing the consequences of war and enhancing maritime capabilities.

Educational cooperation has made significant progress recently, with both sides promoting collaboration in education and training, and technology transfer. Cooperation on climate change continues to be strengthened.

President To Lam receives US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Evans Knapper on June 13, 2024. (Photo: VNA)

The two sides also maintain regular exchanges to enhance cooperation and discuss prospects for expanding cooperation in new areas where each side has needs, including the semiconductor industry.

Regarding multilateral cooperation, the two countries continue to coordinate closely on international and regional issues of common concern. The United States continues to affirm its support for ASEAN's central role and unity, while also appreciating Vietnam's position and role within the Association, in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as in international forums such as the United Nations and in responding to common global challenges.

The visit of General Secretary and President To Lam to the United States marks one year since the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership and takes place ahead of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2025.

In this context, the visit will contribute to the continued implementation of the agreements reached between the high-level leaders of the two countries and the Joint Statement on upgrading Vietnam-US relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Through this, both sides will continue to adhere to the fundamental principles of bilateral relations, further strengthen political trust and strategic confidence, ensure the aspirations of the people of both countries, and make more positive contributions to peace, stability, cooperation, and sustainable development in the region and the world.

On December 2, 1960, Cuba became the first state in the Western Hemisphere to establish full diplomatic relations with Vietnam. The special solidarity between the two countries is built on a solid foundation of shared histories of nation-building and national defense, revolutionary ideals, and a glorious tradition of fighting for independence and freedom. The Vietnamese people will always remember the immortal words of leader Fidel Castro: "For Vietnam, Cuba is ready to shed its own blood."

As a precious heritage, highly valued by the Party, State, and people of both countries, the traditional solidarity and special friendship between Vietnam and Cuba continue to develop well through all channels.

The relationship between the two parties has deepened, serving as a political foundation and guiding the development of relations between the two countries. Both sides maintain bilateral contacts and exchanges of delegations at all levels, especially at the high level. They also effectively implement mechanisms such as the Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee, the Defense Policy Dialogue at the Deputy Defense Minister level, and the Political Consultations at the Deputy Foreign Minister level.

General Secretary and President To Lam receives Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Orlando Nicolas Hernandez Guillen on September 19, 2024. (Photo: Nhandan.vn)

The leaders of the two countries agreed to inherit and strongly promote the fine traditions, determined to bring the special relationship between the two countries to a new stage of development, becoming increasingly deeper and more effective, focusing on gradually raising economic, trade and investment cooperation to the same level as the excellent political relationship between the two countries.

Regarding trade cooperation, Vietnam is currently Cuba's second largest Asian trading partner. Both sides continue to implement the Vietnam-Cuba Trade Agreement with numerous preferential trade commitments, benefiting businesses in both countries and facilitating bilateral import and export activities.

Regarding investment cooperation, Vietnam is currently the largest foreign investor from the Asian region in Cuba. Vietnamese businesses are interested in and are gradually expanding investment cooperation in Cuba, especially in the Mariel Special Economic Zone, in the fields of essential consumer goods production, construction materials, and renewable energy.

At international forums, especially the United Nations, both sides actively support and assist each other, particularly on issues of strategic interest. Vietnam's solidarity and support for Cuba have always been strongly demonstrated, especially through the firm stances expressed by Vietnamese Party and State leaders in multilateral forums.

President To Lam receives Cuban National Assembly President Esteban Lazo Hernandez, who came to offer condolences and attend the funeral of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on July 24, 2024. (Photo: VNA)

The two countries are looking forward to celebrating the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2025. In this context, Comrade To Lam's first visit to Cuba after being elected Head of the Party and State demonstrates the high regard the Party, State, and the General Secretary and President personally have for Cuba, and the exceptionally special, loyal, pure, and exemplary relationship between the two countries in international relations.

The visit by the General Secretary and President will also further contribute to strengthening political trust and enhancing the effectiveness of cooperation between the two Parties and the two countries in the future.

The working visit of General Secretary and President To Lam aims to reaffirm the consistent foreign policy guidelines of the 13th National Party Congress and the resolutions and directives of the Politburo and the Secretariat on strengthening and improving the effectiveness of Party foreign relations, and promoting and elevating multilateral diplomacy. The visit affirms at the highest level the independent, self-reliant, multilateral, and diversified foreign policy, actively and proactively integrating into the international community. Vietnam is a friend, a reliable partner, and a responsible member of the international community, always making positive contributions to peace, friendship, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.