WNAM REPORT: The official visit to Russia by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam and his attendance at a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Great Patriotic War from May 8 to 11 are expected to further boost and deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
This is the first official visit to Russia by Lam since he was elected General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee.
It takes place at a particularly meaningful time as the two countries are jointly celebrating the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations (January 30, 1950–2025). It aims to strengthen political trust and identify new directions to elevate the traditional friendship and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to a new height, while reflecting Vietnam’s respect for and appreciation of the immense contributions and sacrifices made by the former Soviet Union and the current Russian Federation in the great victory over fascism.
75 years of strong relations between the peoples of Vietnam and Russia
Vietnam and the Soviet Union officially established bilateral diplomatic ties on January 30, 1950, marking a significant milestone that laid the foundation for the strong friendship between the two peoples and the comprehensive cooperation between their nations.
From the early days of the country’s foundation, developing relations with the Soviet Union was always a top priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy. Notably, in July 1955, after the North was completely liberated, President Ho Chi Minh led a government delegation to visit the Soviet Union to strengthen the friendship and solidarity and to enhance economic and cultural bonds between the two sides.
During wartime, the Soviet Union supported Vietnam not only with financial and material assistance but also by helping to develop the latter’s economy, culture, and society. In peacetime, with its support, key sectors of Vietnam’s national economy, including energy, industry, agriculture, science and technique, culture, and education, were established and continuously developed, making significant contributions to the country’s reconstruction efforts.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the multifaceted and mutually beneficial cooperation between Vietnam and Russia has continued to receive due attention and has developed strongly and comprehensively. The bilateral relationship entered a new phase of development with the signing of the Treaty on Principles of Friendly Relations between Vietnam and Russia on June 16, 1994, which laid the foundation and legal framework for the relationship in a new era.
Over the past more than 30 years, generations of leaders and people of both countries have made unceasing efforts to nurture a strong and enduring friendship while consolidating and promoting comprehensive cooperation across various fields, for the benefit of both peoples and in contribution to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and around the world.
Following the Treaty on Principles of Friendly Relations, bilateral ties in the 21st century have continued to be elevated with the establishment of the strategic partnership in 2001 and the comprehensive strategic partnership in 2012. In 2021, the countries signed a joint statement on the vision for the comprehensive strategic partnership by 2030. In June 2024, they inked a joint statement on further enhancing the comprehensive strategic partnership on the basis of the achievements gained during 30 years of implementing the Treaty on Principles of Friendly Relations. Based on the good sentiments for each other between the two countries’ leaders and peoples, Vietnam and Russia have maintained high political trust, along with regular mutual visits and meetings at all levels, providing strong momentum for all-round cooperation.
The CPV maintains good relations with major political parties that hold significant positions in the Russian political landscape such as the All-Russian Political Party United Russia, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, and the “A Just Russia – For Truth” Party.
The two sides have cooperated closely at multilateral forums and international organisations such as the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), among others.
In 2025, the two countries are celebrating the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations with a series of meaningful events and activities.
Strong, comprehensive cooperation across multiple fields
In recent years, bilateral economic and trade cooperation has continued to grow steadily. Two-way trade has witnessed rapid growth, especially since the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union officially came into effect in October 2016. It reached 3.63 billion USD in 2023, 4.58 billion USD in 2024, and 1.11 billion USD in the first quarter of this year.
In terms of investment, as of the end of January 2025, Russia had run 202 investment projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital of approximately 995.8 million USD, ranking 26th out of 149 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. These projects are implemented in 21 out of the 63 provinces and centrally-run cities, covering sectors such as offshore oil and gas, hospitality and food services, as well as processing and manufacturing industries.
Conversely, Vietnam currently has 16 valid investment projects in Russia with a total registered capital of 1.6 billion USD, ranking 4th among the 81 countries and territories where Vietnam has outbound investments.
Cooperation in areas such as science and technology, culture, education, tourism, and local-level exchanges has been increasingly expanded. Notably, collaboration in science and technology as well as education and training has been strongly promoted and elevated to a strategic level.
Cultural, sports, and tourism links have been actively enhanced through the annual and rotational organisation of Cultural Days in each country. There are currently around 70,000 Vietnamese people living in Russia, who have made great contributions to both the homeland and the host country, as well as the two sides’ time-tested friendship.
