Vietnam's top leader arrives in New York for UN General Assembly session

Party chief and State President To Lam, his spouse, and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnan arrived in New York on Saturday afternoon (local time) for the United Nations Summit of the Future, the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 79), and working sessions in the U.S.

The United Nations General Assembly is an annual gathering where global leaders meet to discuss the world’s critical issues.

This will be To Lam’s second overseas trip as Vietnam’s highest leader, after a visit to China last month.

The top leader and his entourage were greeted at the airport by Vietnamese Ambassador to the U.S. Nguyen Quoc Dung and his spouse, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, and the staff of the embassy.

The trip to the UN is of significance since it continues to demonstrate Vietnam’s contributions to the world’s largest multilateral organization, as well as the country’s proactive and active engagement in the settlement of regional and international issues.

The leader will bring forward important messages in strong support of multilateralism, with the UN playing the central role in promoting global peace, cooperation, and development.

This is an opportunity for Vietnam to once again affirm its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification of foreign relations; proactive and active international integration; being a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member of the international community; and always actively contributing to peace, friendship, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

The working visit to the US coincides with the first anniversary of the Vietnam-U.S comprehensive strategic partnership and their preparations for the celebration of the 30th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2025.

This is an important occasion for both sides to look back on the achievements that their new partnership framework has generated and, at the same time, discuss major orientations and measures for sustaining the trend of positive, stable, and substantive development of their relations in many years to come.

Lam is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with U.S. leaders, attend and deliver remarks at events towards the 30th anniversary, and the first anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership, and have other meetings with the participation of US officials, businesspeople, experts, and academics.

According to Reuters, the Vietnamese leader will meet with representatives from several U.S. corporations, including Google and Meta.

After his stay in the U.S., Lam will visit Cuba at the invitation of First Secretary of Cuba's Party Central Committee and President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez and his spouse.

The U.S. is now Vietnam’s second-largest trade partner, with trade turnover reaching nearly $111 billion last year.

Vietnam and Cuba established diplomatic relations in December 1960 during the Vietnam War. Cuban leader Fidel Castro visited the liberated zone in South Vietnam in 1973.

Vietnam is helping Cuba ensure food security, sending some 300,000 tons of rice per year to the island state and experts to assist the latter in several agricultural plantation projects.

Some Vietnamese companies are investing in six projects in Cuba, focusing on construction materials, renewable energy, detergent, and diapers.