Vietnam’s Party chief To Lam, US President Donald Trump meet at White House to deepen two nations’ ties

The meeting took place during General Secretary Lam’s working visit to the U.S. from February 18 to 20 to attend the inaugural session of the Gaza Board of Peace in Washington, D.C., at Trump’s invitation.

The ministry said the two leaders exchanged views on bilateral cooperation as well as regional and global issues of shared concern in an open and cordial setting.

General Secretary Lam congratulated the U.S. and President Trump on the successful launch of the Gaza Board of Peace, noting that Vietnam was among the first countries to agree to participate and stands ready to work with the U.S. and other members of the board to implement the Gaza peace plan adopted by the UN Security Council.

He reaffirmed that Vietnam consistently attaches importance to and seeks to advance the comprehensive strategic partnership with the U.S. in a stable, substantive, and effective manner.

Both leaders welcomed positive outcomes in cooperation across various fields, including political and diplomatic relations, economic and trade ties, war legacy remediation, science and technology, education and training, and people-to-people exchanges.

Lam proposed increased exchanges of delegations and high-level contacts.

Highlighting economic and trade ties as a key pillar of bilateral relations, he expressed hope that both sides would continue frank and substantive dialogue on outstanding issues in a spirit of balance and harmony in interests, consistent with each country’s respective conditions and legitimate priorities, for the benefit of businesses and people in both nations.

Trump congratulated Lam on his re-election as general secretary of the 14th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and said he was pleased to host him at the White House.

The U.S. president expressed his affection for the Vietnamese people and for Lam personally, reiterating Washington’s support for a strong, independent, self-reliant, and prosperous Vietnam.

He welcomed and thanked Vietnam for joining the Gaza Board of Peace and praised Lam’s direct participation in its inaugural session, saying it reflects Vietnam’s growing international standing and strong commitment to global peace, stability, and cooperation.

Regarding bilateral relations, President Trump praised Vietnam’s efforts to help balance two-way trade and welcomed the newly signed high-value agreements during General Secretary  Lam’s visit.

He responded positively to Vietnam’s proposals on economic, science, and technology cooperation, saying he would direct relevant agencies to soon remove the country from the strategic export control list (D1–D3).

Trump reaffirmed that the U.S. regards Vietnam as an important regional partner and praised its increasingly prominent role and voice in regional and multilateral forums.

On the occasion, Lam invited Trump and the First Lady to visit Vietnam again soon, which Trump gladly accepted, adding that he looks forward to making the trip in the near future.

Vietnam and the U.S. normalized diplomatic relations in July 1995 and established a comprehensive partnership in 2013.

In September 2023, during an official visit to Hanoi by then-U.S. President Joe Biden, the two countries elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, bypassing the intermediate strategic partnership stage.