Vietnam's Top Leader Embarks on US, Canada Trip to Bolster International Ties

General Secretary and President of Vietnam, Tô Lâm, has commenced an official visit to the United States and Canada from September 20-25. This trip includes participation in high-level discussions at the United Nations General Assembly, bilateral activities in the US, and a state visit to Canada at the invitation of the Governor General. Deputy Foreign Minister Đặng Hoàng Giang stated that this trip by the General Secretary and President clearly demonstrates Vietnam's foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, self-strengthening, multilateralism, diversification, and active, comprehensive international integration. This is expected to effectively leverage conditions and resources for national development, expanding room for growth. The visit also serves as an opportunity to convey, at the highest level, the message of a Vietnam entering a new era of development with a strong vision, determination, and aspiration for advancement. General Secretary and President Tô Lâm will attend and deliver a significant speech at the UN General Assembly's high-level debate, affirming Vietnam's strong support and commitment to the UN's central role in multilateral cooperation and the promotion of respect for international law. Bilateral activities in the US will contribute to implementing the common understandings of high-level leaders of Vietnam and the US, further promoting the stable, substantive, effective, and sustainable development of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This occasion will also allow both sides to enhance high-level contacts, exchange views on strategic and long-term issues concerning bilateral relations, and garner understanding and support from various circles for Vietnam and the Vietnam-US bilateral relationship. Regarding Canada, this visit is expected to provide strong political impetus, fostering a more substantive, balanced, and effective development of Vietnam-Canada relations, commensurate with the potential, strengths, and needs of both countries. This event will also usher in a more strategic and comprehensive phase of development between the two nations, contributing positively to peace and stability in the region and the world. Deputy Foreign Minister Đặng Hoàng Giang assessed that the achievements in Vietnam-US relations over the past three decades have been comprehensive and substantive. Both sides maintain regular exchanges at all levels, with cooperation in overcoming war consequences being a bright spot. Economy, trade, and investment have become drivers of the relationship, with increasing levels of linkage and complementarity. The two sides are actively expanding cooperation into new strategic, future-shaping fields such as science and technology, innovation, the semiconductor industry, AI, energy transition, and high-quality human resource development. Security and defense cooperation continues to develop effectively, contributing to consolidating and strengthening political trust. People-to-people exchanges, education, healthcare, and cultural exchanges are also expanding. The Vietnamese community in the US continues to play a bridging role, making positive contributions to bilateral relations. Concerning Vietnam-Canada relations, after more than half a century of diplomatic ties and nearly a decade of implementing the Comprehensive Partnership framework, the two countries have built an increasingly solid foundation. Political trust has been consolidated, and economic, trade, and investment cooperation has developed dynamically. Cooperation in education-training, science-technology, security-defense, and people-to-people exchanges has become increasingly substantive. On this basis, the visit by General Secretary and President Tô Lâm is expected to make a significant contribution to tightening and further deepening relations between Vietnam and its partners, affirming Vietnam's proactive, positive, and responsible role in global issues, and actively contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.