Vietnam attaches importance to friendship, multifaceted cooperation with Switzerland: Top leader

Hanoi (VNA) - General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam held talks with Swiss President Guy Parmelin in Hanoi on October 17 afternoon, as part of the latter’s two-day official visit to Vietnam.

General Secretary and President Lam welcomed President Parmelin, his spouse and the high-ranking Swiss delegation on their official visit to Vietnam on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations. He expressed his appreciation for Switzerland as one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam, as well as for the Swiss President’s affection for the Southeast Asian country and its people.

Showing his pleasure at meeting President Parmelin again following their phone talks in May 2026 and their meeting on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2026, the General Secretary and President affirmed that Vietnam consistently attaches importance to its friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Switzerland. He described the visit as a vivid demonstration of the two countries’ commitment to realising and further deepening their Comprehensive Partnership, established in January 2025.

Congratulating the Swiss Government and people on their achievements, he noted that Switzerland is among the world’s 20 largest economies, with strong competitiveness and a stable society. He expressed his belief that the prosperity of both Switzerland and Vietnam will not only serve their respective national interests but also contribute to peace and prosperity in the regions and the world.

The Vietnamese leader briefed his guest on the country’s recent socio-economic development, strategic orientations and foreign policy. He reaffirmed Vietnam’s high regard for the Comprehensive Partnership with Switzerland and expressed his hope that the two countries will continue to accompany each other in development and contribute to regional peace, stability and development.

For his part, President Parmelin congratulated Vietnam on its recent achievements and thanked the Vietnamese State, Government and people for the warm and solemn reception extended to him, his spouse and the Swiss delegation.

He welcomed the positive growth in bilateral economic ties, noting that two-way trade has increased by an average of 7% annually over the past four years, while investment has risen by 8% per year. He added that a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) will create favourable opportunities for businesses to tap the potential for future cooperation.

With more than 100 Swiss companies already operating in Vietnam, the President highlighted the complementarity between Switzerland’s technological expertise and innovative solutions and Vietnam’s rapid growth and young workforce.

The two leaders welcomed the strong development of bilateral relations over more than five decades and agreed to strengthen cooperation under the Comprehensive Partnership and make effective use of the coming opportunities offered by the Vietnam-EFTA Free Trade Agreement.

The Swiss leader stressed that medium-sized economies could coordinate through joint economic initiatives to promote multilateralism and free trade, and invited Vietnam to participate in the Future for Investment and Trade Partnership initiative.

President Parmelin also agreed with six key cooperation priorities proposed by the top Vietnamese leader for the coming period. These include strengthening political trust through the exchange of high-level delegations and contacts, as well as mutual support at multilateral forums, expanding trade and investment following the signing and implementation of the Vietnam-EFTA FTA, and encouraging more Swiss businesses to invest in Vietnam, particularly in seaports; promoting cooperation between professional agencies, financial and banking agencies and organisations in digital finance, blockchain, digital assets and financial technology; and making science, technology and innovation important pillars of bilateral cooperation by using existing mechanisms between their national science and technology development funds and strengthening academic links between universities and research institutes.

Other priorities are cooperation in the environment, culture and tourism; making defence and security an important cooperation field, particularly in peacekeeping and crime prevention; and continued promotion of people-to-people exchanges.

The two leaders noted that countries are facing growing challenges and risks amid increasing confrontation among major powers. They agreed on the need to strengthen dialogue in a spirit of neutrality. President Parmelin praised Vietnam’s balanced foreign policy, which, he said, has helped the country establish its position in the region and the world.

On this occasion, the two leaders witnessed the exchange of several cooperation documents between ministries and agencies in the fields of labour, science and technology, trade, and urban development. They expressed their hope that the agreements will be translated into concrete outcomes benefiting businesses and people in both countries.

President Parmelin invited Vietnam to attend the Geneva AI Summit, scheduled to take place in Switzerland in 2027, to further promote cooperation in this field.

The two leaders expressed their confidence that the official visit by the Swiss President and his spouse will further strengthen friendship, political trust and mutual understanding between the two countries, creating fresh momentum for the Vietnam-Switzerland Comprehensive Partnership to develop in an increasingly profound, substantive, effective and sustainable manner./.