General Secretary and President To Lam begins his state visit to the Philippines.
On the afternoon of May 31, General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife, along with a high-level Vietnamese delegation, arrived at Villamor Airbase Airport in Manila, beginning a state visit to the Philippines from May 31 to June 1 at the invitation of President of the Republic of the Philippines Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. and his wife.
The visit, taking place as Vietnam and the Philippines celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, affirms Vietnam's high regard for its friendly and cooperative relationship with the Philippines, as well as with ASEAN, and further motivates the development of the strategic partnership between the two countries to a new level.
Vietnam and the Philippines are two ASEAN member states that share many strategic interests in maintaining peace, stability, cooperation, and development in Southeast Asia.
In recent years, bilateral relations have maintained positive development, especially in the economic, maritime, and defense sectors, while also coordinating well on regional and international issues. Total bilateral trade is estimated to reach US$7.8 billion in 2025, with Vietnam having a trade surplus exceeding US$5.4 billion. The Philippines remains one of Vietnam's largest rice import markets. Cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges are expanding, with a significant increase in the number of Filipino tourists visiting Vietnam and flights between the two countries.
The State visit to the Philippines by General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife, along with a high-level Vietnamese delegation, provides an opportunity for leaders of both countries to review past cooperation and set a vision for bilateral relations in the new phase.
