Vietnam - Sri Lanka agree to strengthen agricultural cooperation

On the afternoon of May 4, General Secretary To Lam met with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, Leader of the Sri Lanka People's Liberation Front (JVP), during his State visit to Vietnam and participation in the United Nations Day of Vesak.

At the meeting, General Secretary To Lam welcomed President Dissanayaka's visit, which coincides with the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. He thanked the President for accepting the invitation to attend and speak at the Vesak Festival's opening ceremony. He also expressed appreciation for the congratulatory letter sent on the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification. The General Secretary stressed that this was a significant event not only for the Vietnamese people, but also for international friends like Sri Lanka, who stood by Vietnam and offered support during the struggle for national independence.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka affirmed the close friendship between Vietnam and Sri Lanka, built on mutual support throughout history. He once again congratulated the Party, State, and people of Vietnam on the historic victory of April 30, 1975, calling it a triumph not only for Vietnam but also for Sri Lanka and for peace-loving people around the world.

The President praised Vietnam’s impressive progress in economic development. He noted that in just 50 years since reunification, Vietnam has emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies globally, with increasing influence and credibility. He expressed interest in learning from Vietnam’s experience in economic reform, institutional development, anti-corruption efforts, and national governance.

Both sides voiced satisfaction with the steady growth of traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation over the past 55 years. The two countries have built strong strategic trust and close ties across multiple areas, especially politics, diplomacy, culture, and people-to-people exchange.

The two sides emphasized that long-standing friendship, trust, and mutual understanding are essential foundations for the two sides to continue effectively expanding each country’s potential and strengths and promoting extensive cooperation to bring the relationship to new heights, bring common benefits, and contribute to development and stability in the region.

In that spirit, General Secretary To Lam and President Anura agreed to continue to strengthen further trust and cohesion between the two countries and the two ruling parties, promote the exchange of delegations at all levels, and make defense and security cooperation a new pillar in bilateral relations; at the same time, create breakthroughs in economic, trade and investment cooperation, contributing to effectively responding to rapid changes in the global political and financial situation.

The General Secretary affirmed that with its strengths, Vietnam wishes to accompany and cooperate with Sri Lanka in socio-economic development. The President of Sri Lanka welcomed and affirmed that he would create favorable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to invest in important and strategic areas in Sri Lanka. The two sides also agreed to further expand cooperation in agriculture, education, culture, people-to-people exchange, tourism, and religion, and promote the early opening of direct flights to support cooperation and connect the two countries.

The two leaders agreed to cooperate more closely and increase mutual support at multilateral forums, especially the United Nations and South-South cooperation. General Secretary To Lam appreciated Sri Lanka as an active member of the United Nations and welcomed Sri Lanka to strengthen its cooperative relations with ASEAN further.

Vietnam and Sri Lanka established diplomatic relations on July 21, 1970. The two countries have a traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation. Political parties in Sri Lanka have sympathy and attach importance to relations with Vietnam, considering Vietnam a successful model in economic development for Sri Lanka to learn from. Sri Lanka has recognized Vietnam as having a full market economy.

Mr. Anura Kumara Dissanayaka is the President, Minister of Defense, Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, and Minister of Digital Economy of Sri Lanka. President of Sri Lanka, Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, was born in 1968, in Dewahoowa, Matale, Sri Lanka. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Kelaniya. From 1997 to 1998, he was the National Executive Committee of the Socialist Students' Association, elected to the Central Committee of the People's Liberation Front (JVP). From 2004 to 2008, he was the Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Irrigation, and Livestock.