This is General Secretary To Lam’s first visit to the DPRK in his capacity as the Vietnamese Party leader and also marks the first visit by a CPV General Secretary in 18 years.
The visit takes place against the backdrop of an increasingly complex and unpredictable global and regional landscape, which has far-reaching impacts on the security and development environment of nations. Major-power relations and international alignments are undergoing significant adjustments. The Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions continue to play an ever more important role in global political and economic affairs, remaining focal points of major-power competition.
Since its founding on October 10, 1945, the WPK has convened eight national congresses. At its 8th Congress, held in January 2021, the WPK reaffirmed its commitment to developing and comprehensively expanding external relations, upholding the principle of reciprocity, strengthening solidarity and friendship with countries that respect the DPRK’s sovereignty.
Despite facing socio-economic difficulties due to blockades, sanctions and embargoes, the DPRK’s international standing continues to be reinforced. The DPRK leader recently attended the 80th anniversary of the victory over fascism in China.
The DPRK has also strengthened its substantive cooperation with China and enhanced its ties with Russia. Although inter-Korean relations remain tense, they are still under control, while the United States continues to leave the door open for dialogue with the DPRK.
The traditional friendship between Viet Nam and the DPRK, founded by President Ho Chi Minh and President Kim Il Sung and nurtured by successive generations of leaders, has been continuously consolidated and developed, especially following General Secretary and President Kim Jong Un’s official friendly visit to Viet Nam in March 2019.
Soon after reopening its borders following the COVID-19 pandemic, the DPRK resumed several delegation exchanges with Viet Nam. The two sides maintain the Viet Nam-DPRK Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation mechanism, with the most recent 9th session held in 2014 in Ha Noi. The two countries have also signed numerous important agreements.
During the 1960s and 1970s, the DPRK assisted Viet Nam in training hundreds of students. Both countries continue to promote the signing of a cooperation agreement in education. In cultural and sports exchanges, Viet Nam has sent many delegations to the DPRK to participate in art festivals, friendship performances, and sports events. Recently, Viet Nam invited a team of DPRK taekwondo masters to perform in the country.
The visit takes place as Viet Nam and the DPRK are celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations (January 31, 1950-2025), designating 2025 as the “Viet Nam-DPRK Friendship Year”. It also coincides with the DPRK’s gradual normalisation of its external activities following the COVID-19 pandemic. General Secretary To Lam’s state visit and attendance at the 80th anniversary of the WPK reaffirms Viet Nam’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, and multilateralisation of external relations, as well as its proactive and active international integration in a comprehensive, extensive, and effective manner.
Through the CPV General Secretary’s state visit to attend the WPK’s 80th founding anniversary, Viet Nam continues to affirm that it attaches importance to the traditional friendship with the DPRK.
Viet Nam supports the DPRK’s efforts to develop its economy and improve its people’s living standards, while wishing to contribute to dialogue and the establishment of lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, thereby helping to maintain peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
The visit also serves as an opportunity to highlight Viet Nam’s socio-economic achievements, potential, advantages, and opportunities in the new era, reaffirming its determination and efforts to realise growth goals and strategic orientations.
General Secretary To Lam’s state visit to the DPRK to attend the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK marks a new historic milestone in relations between the two parties and two countries, contributing to elevating Viet Nam-DPRK relations to new heights.
The success of the visit will help further strengthen and promote the effective implementation of cooperation agreements reached between the two countries’ senior leaders. Promoting cooperation between the two parties and countries in fields consistent with their respective interests, laws, and international commitments will contribute actively to maintaining peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.
