Hanoi (VNA) – General S𒆙ecretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam hosted a reception in Hanoi on June 12 for Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, who is on a two-day official visit to Vietnam.

Welcoming President Nauseda's historic visit, General Secretary Lam affirmed that this trip is an important milestone, contributing to promoting the Vietnam - Lithuania bilateral relationship more strongly, practically and effectively in the coming time. Reviewing the positive development of the Vietnam - Lithuania relations over the past time, the Party leader thanked the Government and people of Lithuania for their valuable support and assistance to Vietnam during the difficult years in the past. He affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to and wants to develop relations with traditional friends, including Lithuania, an important partner of Vietnam in the region. He spoke highly and and congratulated Lithuania on its achievements in socio-economic development, especially its pioneering role in the fields of information technology, financial technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and cyber security, which are key areas in the current global digital transformation process, thereby increasingly enhancing Lithuania's prestige and position in the region. For his part, President Nauseda said he is impressed by and congratulated Vietnam on its great and historic achievements after nearly 40 years of implementing the Doi Moi (Renewal) process. He emphasised that Vietnam has now become a country with a dynamic economy, deep international integration, maintained political and social stability and constantly improving people's lives. The President highly appreciated Vietnam's strategic vision and development orientation on science and technology, innovation and national digital transformation; international integration in the new situation; and development of the private economic. President Nauseda affirmed that Lithuania attaches great importance to Vietnam's role and position in the region and the world, and wants to further promote relations with Vietnam, both bilaterally and multilaterally. The two leaders acknowledged the fruitful outcomes of the talks between the Lithuanian President and his Vietnamese counterpart Luong Cuong, particularly the signing of several important cooperation documents that open up practical prospects for partnership in areas where Lithuania holds strengths and Vietnam has growing demand, like science-technology, energy, and high-tech agriculture.

The Party chief and his guest discussed key directions and measures aimed at fostering the two countries’ traditional friendship via increasing high-level and all-level delegation exchanges and contacts, and expanding cooperation across such sectors as trade-investment, defence-security, science-technology, innovation, energy, agriculture, and labour. They also highlighted the significance of enhancing collaboration in education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges, therefore tightening bilateral friendship for the benefit of both nations' people while boosting the role and position of each country in the region and the world, and helping them integrate deeper in supply chains and contribute to peace, cooperation and development. General Secretary Lam expressed his appreciation and called on the Lithuanian Government to continue creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to live and work stably in the European country. He also suggested enhancing the training of Vietnamese students, particularly in Lithuania’s areas of strength, to help develop high-quality human resources in service of both countries’ development goals. The Party chief also noted the importance of building a strong Vietnamese community in Lithuania, both in size and capacity, as a bridge for promoting the two sides’ traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation. Sharing their views on international and regional issues of mutual concern, the two leaders agreed to strengthen coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums such as the United Nations and Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), and within the cooperation framework between the European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Both sides affirmed their support for international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and underscored the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation in the East Sea./.