General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and President To Lam.

Top leader To Lam leaves for UN General Assembly session UNGA 81

A high-ranking Vietnamese delegation led by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and President To Lam left Hanoi on September 20 for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81), bilateral activities in the United States and a State visit to Canada.

The top leader is being accompanied by senior Party, State and Government officials, including ministers in charge of national defense; public security; foreign affairs; trade; science and technology; agriculture; and health.

This is the leader’s first working trip to the United Nations, the United States and Canada since Viet Nam successfully held the 14th National Party Congress, elected deputies to the 16th National Assembly and conducted elections for People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term, cited VOV.

Taking place against a backdrop of rapid, profound and far-reaching changes in the international environment, the trip reflects Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization and diversification, as well as its proactive and active pursuit of comprehensive and extensive international integration. It also aims to mobilize favorable conditions and resources to create new space and opportunities for national development.

The trip will provide an opportunity to convey at the highest level the message of a Viet Nam entering a new era of development with a strong vision, determination and aspiration to advance.

General Secretary and President To Lam’s trip is expected to help strengthen and deepen Vietnam’s relations with the United Nations, the United States and its partners, while promoting more substantive and closely connected Viet Nam-Canada ties.

It also demonstrates Vietnam’s continued proactive and responsible engagement in international and regional affairs and its contribution to peace, stability, cooperation and development.

Canada looks forward to General Secretary and President's upcoming historic visit

Canada looks forward to the upcoming historic visit to Canada by General Secretary and President To Lam, underlined Canadian Ambassador to Viet Nam Jim Nickel.

To is set to attend the High-level General Debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), undertake bilateral meetings in the U.S., and pay a State visit to Canada at the invitation of Governor General of Canada Louise Arbour from September 20-25.

In a recent interview with the press ahead of the visit, the Ambassador viewed the occasion as an important milestone that could open a new chapter in the two countries' relations and further elevate their Comprehensive Partnership.

This will be the first-ever visit to Canada by a General Secretary, making it particularly significant in the more than five decades since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1973.

The bilateral relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Partnership in 2017 and has since developed across a broad spectrum, from diplomacy, trade and investment, defense and security to culture, education, science, technology and innovation.

The upcoming visit is expected to provide fresh momentum for deepening cooperation across these areas and taking the partnership to a higher level, the Ambassador said.

Viet Nam – a key Indo-Pacific partner

According to the Ambassador, Canada increasingly regards Viet Nam as a key partner in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in Southeast Asia, where Viet Nam has emerged as an important economic and strategic actor.

Viet Nam is Canada's largest trading partner within ASEAN and is viewed by Canada as a gateway to the wider ASEAN region and the Indo-Pacific, he noted.

Viet Nam's emergence as a global manufacturing hub and an increasingly important node in international supply chains further enhances its strategic importance for Canada, according to VGP.

Canadian Ambassador to Viet Nam Jim Nickel - Photo: VGP/Hoang Thuyen

Against the backdrop of an evolving global economic environment, stronger engagement with Viet Nam offers opportunities for Canada to diversify trade, strengthen supply-chain resilience and expand economic partnerships in a dynamic region.

Nickel highlighted the strong momentum in bilateral economic ties, noting that two-way trade and investment have doubled over the past five years. Bilateral trade alone rose from C$15.7 billion in 2024 to C$20.6 billion in 2025.

While Vietnamese exports currently account for the large majority of bilateral trade, Canada sees substantial room to expand two-way trade and investment, particularly in sectors where the two economies have strong complementarities.

Agriculture and food security are among the areas with significant potential. Cooperation could be expanded in agricultural technology, innovation, food supply and food security, alongside growing trade and investment.

Energy is another strategic area. As Viet Nam accelerates the development of advanced manufacturing, data centers, international financial centers and the semiconductor industry, reliable and secure energy supplies will become increasingly important.

As a major energy producer with strengths in both conventional and renewable energy, as well as energy innovation, Canada sees considerable potential to contribute to Viet Nam's energy security and transition while creating new avenues for bilateral cooperation.

Aerospace and aviation, meanwhile, offer further opportunities, given Viet Nam's rapidly expanding aviation sector and Canada's capabilities in aviation manufacturing and technology.

The two countries can also deepen collaboration in emerging technologies, including communications, satellites and artificial intelligence, as both seek to strengthen innovation capacity and move toward higher-value economic activities.

Shared interests in resilience and diversification

The Ambassador underlined that the changing international economic landscape is encouraging both Canada and Viet Nam to strengthen economic resilience and reduce vulnerabilities associated with excessive dependence on any single market.

For both countries, diversifying economic partnerships and securing reliable supply chains have consequently become increasingly important.

In this context, Canada and Viet Nam have a strong basis for cooperation, given their shared commitment to rules-based trade and their common interest in sustainable economic growth, resilience and mutual prosperity.

Viet Nam's rapid economic growth and increasingly ambitious development objectives further reinforce its attractiveness as a long-term partner, particularly as Canada seeks to expand its engagement with the Indo-Pacific – the world's fastest-growing economic region.

Canada also attaches importance to Viet Nam's role in regional economic cooperation, particularly as Viet Nam prepares to host APEC in 2027 on Phu Quoc Island.

Nickel said, APEC 2027 will provide Viet Nam with an important opportunity to exercise leadership on issues of common concern, including strengthening supply chains, reinforcing commitment to rules-based trade, and addressing emerging priorities such as digital trade, digital transformation and energy transformation.

Canada will fully support Viet Nam in its APEC chairmanship, he affirmed.

The experience will also be closely followed by Canada, which will host APEC in 2029. Canada hopes to learn from Viet Nam's leadership and build on initiatives and priorities advanced during the Vietnamese APEC Year.

From a bilateral partnership to broader regional engagement, the Ambassador's remarks underscore Canada's recognition of Viet Nam's growing role as an economic hub, a supply-chain partner and a constructive actor in the Indo-Pacific.

The upcoming visit is therefore expected to carry significance beyond bilateral ties, providing an opportunity for the two countries to align their respective strengths and interests while contributing to a more resilient, open and dynamic regional economic landscape.

Viet Nam, Laos step up cooperation in education, human resources development

A ceremony was held in Phonesaat village of Mahaxay district, Khammouane province in central Laos, on September 18 to break ground for a project to build the Khammouane provincial Boarding School for Ethnic Minority Students, funded by a non-refundable grant from the Vietnamese Government to the Lao Government.

The project is of significance, reflecting the attention paid by the two countries' Parties and States to education, training and human resources development in remote and ethnic minority areas of Laos.

The school will be built on a 37,268 sq.m site in Phonesaat village at a total investment of 183.2 billion VND (7.04 million USD), including 179.75 billion VND in non-refundable aid from the Vietnamese Government and 3.45 billion VND in counterpart funding from the Lao Government.

It will have 28 fully equipped classrooms and be capable of accommodating between 1,700 and 2,000 students. When operational, it will provide education for children from ethnic groups in five eastern districts of Khammuon province, namely Mahaxay, Yomalath, Nakai, Boualapha and Xaybouathong.

Under the contract, PSC Trading Investment Co., Ltd. is responsible for construction and installation work. It aims to complete and put the entire project into operation before August 30, 2028, in time for the 2028–2029 academic year.

Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Thi Huong Giang, Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam's Quang Tri province, said all preparations regarding investment, design, cost estimates and contractor selection have been completed.

For its part, Khammouane province has completed clearance of unexploded ordnance left over from the war, site clearance and the issuance of a construction permit in accordance with regulations, reported VNA.

Participants sign a handover and acceptance record for the construction site and break ground for a project to build the Khammuon provincial Boarding School for Ethnic Minority Students. (Photo: VNA)

Manyen Khinsamone, Vice Chairman of the Khammouane provincial Administration Committee, expressed his thanks to the Party, Government and people of Viet Nam, as well as the leaders and people of Quang Tri province.

He stressed that the project is important to addressing the shortage of educational facilities in remote districts, creating more learning opportunities, improving educational attainment and enhancing the quality of human resources for ethnic minority communities in eastern Khammouane province.

The official affirmed that the project is a symbol of the friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the Parties, States and peoples of Viet Nam and Laos, while also helping strengthen cooperation between Quang Tri and Khammouane provinces.

He called on the project management agencies of both sides to maintain close coordination and regularly inspect progress. He also asked the contractor to strictly comply with the contract and ensure the project’s schedule, quality and occupational safety.

The event marked a new step in educational and training cooperation between Quang Tri and Khammouane provinces, contributing to the friendship and cooperation between the two localities.

Ample room for Viet Nam, US to deepen cooperation

Bilateral activities that General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and President To Lam and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation are scheduled to conduct in the US, part of their trip to attend the high-level general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81), are expected to provide strategic direction and fresh momentum for Vietnam–US relations.

Deeper economic ties

According to Viet Nam Customs, bilateral trade reached approximately 137.42 billion USD in the first eight months of 2026, up 23.4% year-on-year.

The US remains one of Vietnam’s most important export markets, accounting for about 32.1% of the latter’s total export turnover. US statistics showed that as of the end of July 2026, Viet Nam had become the US's fifth-largest trading partner, moving up five places from the same period last year.

Do Ngoc Hung, Trade Counsellor and head of the Viet Nam Trade Office in the US, said what stands out is not only the growth in trade volume but also the increasingly deep economic ties between the two countries.

Hung said that a key driver of bilateral trade is the complementarity of the two economies. Viet Nam has strengths in processing and manufacturing, consumer goods, electronics, textiles and garments, footwear, wooden products, agricultural and aquatic products, while the US has advantages in technology, machinery, equipment, energy, aviation, agricultural products and production inputs.

Businesses from both countries are increasingly recognising each other’s importance in their business strategies and supply chains. Viet Nam is becoming an increasingly important link in regional supply chains while also offering a market of more than 100 million people with growing demand for technology, energy, and high-quality products and services, VNA reported.

Containers are handled at Lach Huyen Port in Hai Phong city. (Photo: VNA)

Bilateral trade now has favourable conditions to move from growth in scale towards deeper cooperation in terms of quality, technology and value chains, Hung said.

According to the Viet Nam Trade Office in the US, there remains considerable room to expand bilateral trade if the two countries continue to leverage the complementary strengths of their economies. Viet Nam has strong demand for machinery, equipment, technology, production materials, energy, aviation products and farm produce, which the US is strong at.

Conversely, it is capable of supplying a wide range of products that meet demand in the US market at competitive prices, with quality continuing to improve.

Therefore, Hung said, the goal going forward should not be limited to increasing trade turnover, but should also focus on building a more complementary trade structure that delivers practical benefits to businesses, workers and consumers in both countries.

Alongside trade, Vietnam–US investment cooperation has also shown positive signs. As of the end of July 2026, US investors had 1,587 valid projects in Viet Nam with total registered capital of about 12.5 billion USD. In the first seven months of the year alone, US investors registered around 437.6 million USD in capital across 86 new projects, up 67.9%. Meanwhile, as of the end of April 2026, Vietnamese investors had 279 projects in the US with total registered capital of approximately 1.45 billion USD.

New room for cooperation

Regarding areas offering substantial room for cooperation and requiring greater focus in the coming period, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung said the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has identified broad pillars of bilateral cooperation, ranging from politics, diplomacy, security and defence to the economy, trade, investment, science – technology, education – training, and people-to-people exchanges.

He held that in the time ahead, the two sides will also place greater focus on the areas to which Viet Nam gives priority for its new development phase and which are also the fields the US is strong at, including advanced technology, clean energy and resilient supply chains.

Hung said while Viet Nam has advantages in human resources, electronics manufacturing capacity and its position in regional supply chains, the US has strengths in technology, chip design, artificial intelligence and foundational technologies. Cooperation could therefore expand from manufacturing investment into research, design, human resources training and the development of supporting industry ecosystems.

Energy and aviation are also areas with considerable potential as Viet Nam has strong development needs while US businesses possess advantages in technology, capital and management experience.

Alongside deeper participation in US supply chains, Viet Nam needs to continue diversifying its sources of supply while ensuring transparency, traceability and compliance with market standards, the Trade Counsellor said.

According to the Viet Nam Trade Office in the US, the two economies should in the coming period aim not only to increase exchanges of goods, services and energy but also to jointly create greater value within supply chains.

Referring to General Secretary and President To Lam’s bilateral activities in the US, Hung said high-level diplomatic activities are important to providing direction and fresh momentum for bilateral relations, particularly within the framework of the Vietnam–US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

From an economic and trade perspective, he said, high-level activities help consolidate trust, increase exchanges and create a favourable environment for government agencies and business communities in both countries to promote specific cooperation programs.

The two countries also have considerable room to expand collaboration in areas such as high technology, semiconductors, energy, aviation, the digital economy, human resources training and supply chains. These are areas capable of generating long-term value for both economies, he added.

Quang Ninh sees cruise tourism boost international visitor markets

Quang Ninh is expected to welcome around 75 international cruise ship calls carrying more than 100,000 passengers in 2026, as the northern border city expands its international tourism markets.

Under the 2026 operating schedule, Ha Long International Cruise Port will continue to welcome cruise ships operated by international lines, bringing visitors from the United States, Germany, the UK, Canada, China and various European countries to Quang Ninh.

In the first seven months of the year, Ha Long International Cruise Port received 45 cruise ship calls, up 22% year on year. Another 30 or so calls are expected from now until the end of the year, bringing the annual total to around 75.

The cruise schedule is spread across the year, with the final months expected to remain a peak period. Ship sizes also vary considerably, ranging from vessels carrying several hundred passengers to those with a capacity of more than 2,000.

A notable development in this year's cruise season has been the return of large cruise ships. On August 19, Ha Long International Cruise Port welcomed Adora Magic City from Shenzhen, China, for the first time. The ship brought nearly 4,500 passengers and crew members to Quang Ninh. It has a maximum capacity of 5,246 passengers and is among the largest cruise ships to have called at Ha Long Port.

The return of large vessels creates more opportunities for Quang Ninh to connect with international cruise itineraries and include its heritage destinations in routes serving large numbers of passengers. According to the Quang Ninh e-portal, linking the port with destinations and services within the same itinerary also gives visitors more time to explore and spend in the locality.

Expanding markets, diversifying cruise experiences

Cruise passengers are regarded by Quang Ninh as an important segment in its strategy to attract international visitors. This segment typically involves short stays onshore but large numbers of passengers per call, requiring not only sufficient port capacity but also well-organised tours, transport, services, security and safety.

To meet these needs, travel companies have developed flexible sightseeing programmes tailored to the schedules of individual cruise ships. Products focus on major attractions such as Ha Long Bay, the Quang Ninh Museum and Library, as well as cultural, culinary and shopping experiences. They also connect with Tuan Chau, Van Don and resort areas, giving visitors more options. Quang Ninh has also developed short tours lasting around four to six hours to suit the limited time cruise passengers spend ashore.

The source markets are becoming increasingly diverse. Alongside Northeast Asian passengers travelling on large vessels, European and American visitors aboard premium cruise ships such as Celebrity Solstice, Seabourn Encore and Le Jacques Cartier are a focus for Quang Ninh, given their spending capacity and demand for heritage experiences, cited VOV.

Quang Ninh expects around 75 international cruise ship calls carrying more than 100,000 passengers in 2026 as it expands cruise tourism and international visitor markets

At the beginning of the year, Celebrity Solstice brought more than 3,000 European, American, Australian and Canadian passengers to Ha Long International Cruise Port. During the Lunar New Year holiday, Seabourn Encore, Piano Land, Le Jacques Cartier and Adora Mediterranea successively brought thousands of international visitors to Ha Long.

The combination of premium cruise lines serving European and American markets and large vessels from Asia is creating a passenger mix that is expanding in both volume and the quality of international visitors to Quang Ninh.

Welcoming larger ships, improving cruise operations

With its infrastructure advantages, Ha Long International Cruise Port can accommodate two large cruise ships simultaneously, with a capacity of around 10,000 passengers a day. This provides Quang Ninh with a basis for further expanding its ability to receive large groups of passengers on international cruise itineraries.

Alongside increasing the number of cruise calls, Quang Ninh is seeking to improve the quality of cruise operations by developing new products and strengthening connections between the port and sightseeing attractions, services, shopping and resort facilities. The approach aims to make better use of cruise passengers' limited time ashore while encouraging a wider distribution of visitors across Quang Ninh's tourism areas.

In the first eight months of 2026, Quang Ninh welcomed nearly 17.1 million visitors, up 6% year on year. Overnight visitors reached nearly 6.6 million, while tourism revenue exceeded VND51 trillion. The city is continuing to accelerate efforts in the final months of the year, targeting more than 23 million visitors and tourism revenue of over VND70 trillion.

In this context, cruise passengers not only add to international visitor numbers but also create opportunities for local businesses in tourism, transport, food and beverage, shopping and other services. Maintaining a stable cruise schedule while preparing human resources and services for the year-end peak season will be important to help Quang Ninh make more effective use of this international visitor segment.

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