The trip is made at the invitation of Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of Russia Vyacheslav Victorovich Volodin, and Chairwoman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko.
Taking place in 2024, when Vietnam and Russia are celebrating the 30-year implementation of the Treaty on Principles of Friendly Relations and working towards the 75th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations in 2025, the visit is an important milestone, contributing to elevating the Vietnam-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, while further promoting the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two peoples.
The working trip is of great significance, as it is the first official visit to Russia by Tran Thanh Man as NA Chairman and the first trip by a key leader of the Vietnamese Party and State to Russia since Russia successfully held the presidential election.
The visit occurred after President To Lam was elected General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Vietnam completed its key leadership positions.
The 70-year Vietnam – Russia relations have witnessed fruitful cooperative achievements and warm and close friendship between the two peoples.
In 1950, the Soviet Union became one of the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. In 1994, Vietnam and Russia signed the Treaty on Fundamental Principles of Friendly Relations, which laid the foundation and legal basis for bilateral relations in a new stage of development.
The two countries elevated their relations to Strategic Partnership and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2001 and 2012, respectively. In 2021, the two sides issued a joint statement on the vision of their comprehensive strategic partnership by 2030.
Vietnam determines that relations with Russia are strategically important and wants to strengthen substantive and effective cooperation with Russia in all areas, for the common interests of the two peoples for peace, stability and development in the region and the world.
As for Russia, Vietnam is a reliable partner and one of the top priorities in its foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific region.
Over the past years, the political trust between Vietnam and Russia has been continuously consolidated, through delegation exchanges and cooperation mechanisms.
In October 2023, Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Victorovich Volodin paid an official visit to Vietnam, and co-chaired the second meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee between the two legislatures.
Notably, during the State visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Vietnam in June 2024, the two countries issued a joint statement to deepen their comprehensive strategic partnership based on the achievements of the three-decade implementation of their Treaty on Principles of Friendly Relations.
The Communist Party of Vietnam has also cooperated with several major political parties in Russia, such as the United Russia Party, and the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, among others.
Regarding parliamentary cooperation, the two sides have maintained regular delegation exchanges at high levels, and between committees and parliamentary friendship groups, creating a strong driving force to promote cooperation between the Vietnamese National Assembly, the State Duma of Russia, thereby contributing to strengthening the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.
Mutual political trust has created a solid foundation to bring the two countries closer and push them to work together to reap proud achievements over the past 70 years of cooperation.
Bilateral security-defence cooperation has been promoted in policy consultation, officer training, and military-technical exchange, following the spirit of trust, substance, efficiency, and comprehensiveness.
Meanwhile, oil and gas energy is a traditional strategic cooperation field and an important pillar in bilateral relations. The Vietnam Oil and Gas Group and the Russian oil and gas corporations, such as Zarubezhneft and Gazprom, are stepping up cooperation in oil and gas exploration, and exploitation in each other's territories.
In addition, bilateral cooperation in economics, trade, investment, education, science and technology has also developed positively.
The 60,000-strong Vietnamese community in Russia has positively contributed to the motherland and the host country, helping to strengthen the bilateral traditional friendship.
As an important foreign affairs activity, the official visit to Russia and co-chairing of the 3rd meeting of the Vietnam-Russia Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee by National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man will contribute to further consolidating and enhancing mutual understanding between the two countries, bringing the bilateral traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership to a new height.
The visit will also deepen the relationship between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the State Duma of Russia, affirming that cooperation between the two countries' legislative bodies is an important cooperation channel in the Vietnam-Russia relationship, bringing practical benefits to the people of the two countries, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large.
