Party General Secretary Tô Lâm (right) and Frederick W. Smith, founder and executive chair of FedEx, at their meeting in Hà Nội on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary Tô Lâm met Frederick W. Smith, founder and executive chair of the US-based multinational conglomerate FedEx, in Hà Nội on Tuesday.

At the meeting, the Party leader highlighted the strong development of Việt Nam-US relations, particularly in 2025, as the two countries celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties and recently upgraded bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Lâm commended FedEx’s achievements in Việt Nam over the past three decades and affirmed his support for the company’s continued expansion in key sectors such as infrastructure, services, and transport, contributing to strengthening global supply chains and positioning Việt Nam as a major logistics hub.

He urged FedEx to collaborate closely with Vietnamese authorities to swiftly and effectively implement its business expansion plans in the country.

The Party chief noted that 2025 marks a critical year for the Southeast Asian nation as it prepares for a breakthrough phase of development. He expressed his hope that the company would prioritise Việt Nam as a key market while affirming the country’s priority given to long-standing partners like FedEx.

For his part, Smith expressed his pride in FedEx’s contributions to Việt Nam's economic growth over the past three decades and highlighted Việt Nam’s potential to become a leading logistics centre in the region and the world.

He also outlined the conglomerate’s plans to further expand operations in Việt Nam, including enhancing its presence at Tân Sơn Nhất and Nội Bài international airports as well as exploring future expansion at Long Thành and Gia Bình airports. These efforts aim to boost Việt Nam's transport capacity and integration into global supply chains.

Additionally, Lâm encouraged FedEx and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to deepen their cooperation with Việt Nam in the development of pediatric cancer treatment. FedEx has long supported the hospital’s collaboration with the Vietnamese national cancer hospital and the Việt Nam National Children’s Hospital in this field.

In response, Smith pledged to engage with St. Jude’s leaders upon his return to the US to develop a concrete support plan. He expressed his hope that Việt Nam could achieve a pediatric cancer recovery rate of 94 per cent, similar to that in the US. — VNS