Vietnamese President and Communist Party of Vietnam General Secretary Tô Lâm will undertake a state visit to the Philippines from May 31 to June 1, in a move expected to strengthen Manila and Hanoi’s strategic partnership and open new areas of cooperation.
The Presidential Communications Office said Wednesday that the visit comes as the two countries approach the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and mark 10 years since the establishment of their Strategic Partnership.
“The visit will hold a special significance as it comes at the cusp of the 50th anniversary of the Philippines and Viet Nam diplomatic relations and a decade of the two countries’ Strategic Partnership,” the PCO said.
It added that the trip would also mark the first state visit to the Philippines by Vietnam’s party leader.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to receive Lâm at Malacañang, where the Vietnamese leader will be accorded arrival honors before the two leaders hold a bilateral meeting.
The discussions are expected to cover trade and investment, food security, defense and maritime cooperation, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.
The visit is also seen as an opportunity for both sides to take stock of nearly five decades of cooperation and explore ways to make the partnership more dynamic amid shifting regional and economic conditions.
According to the PCO, Vietnam remains the Philippines’ sole strategic partner in Southeast Asia, with relations built on longstanding engagement among government officials, the private sector, and communities in both countries.
Lâm’s Manila visit will follow his official visit to Thailand from May 27 to 29 and his state visit to Singapore from May 29 to 31, where he is also scheduled to attend and address the Shangri-La Dialogue.
The PCO said Vietnam is currently home to more than 7,000 Filipinos, many of whom work as teachers. Other Filipinos in Vietnam are employed as corporate executives, nurses, engineers, and garment supervisors.
To better serve the Filipino community there, the Philippines is set to open a consulate in Ho Chi Minh City by mid-2026.