Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a ceremony in Astana yesterday to bestow the Order of Friendship, first class, of Kazakhstan to General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Tô Lâm on May 6. — VNA/VNS Photo

ASTANA — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Tô Lâm was honoured with Kazakhstan’s Order of Dostyk (Friendship) of the First Class at a ceremony held at the Akorda Presidential Palace on Tuesday as part of his ongoing state visit to the Central Asian country.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev presented the Order of Dostyk of the First Class, the noble award of the Kazakh State and people, to the Vietnamese leader.

Speaking at the event, Party General Secretary Tô Lâm acknowledged the award as recognition of the decades-long cooperation between Việt Nam and Kazakhstan, symbolising the affection and trust between the two countries’ people.

He stressed that the Việt Nam – Kazakhstan friendship has been cultivated over decades, built on the foundation of mutual respect and understanding. This relationship has been nurtured by generations of leaders and people from both countries with shared aspirations for freedom, independence, and a bright future.

Party chief Tô Lâm speaks at the awarding ceremony on May 6. — VNA/VNS Photo

The noble order is a source of great encouragement for both sides to carry forward the legacy of past generations and to nurture the time-honored friendship into the future, he underscored.

The Party chief concluded by expressing gratitude to President Tokayev, the Kazakh State and people for their consistent support and solidarity with Việt Nam in preserving and nurturing the enduring cooperative relationship between the two nations. — VNA/VNS