President Lương Cường (right) and his spouse welcome Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and his spouse at the Presidential Palace on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese President Lương Cường on Thursday hosted an official welcome ceremony for Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and his spouse in Hà Nội, marking the beginning of a two-day official visit to Việt Nam from June 11 to 12.

This is the first high-level visit by a Lithuanian head of state to Việt Nam in many years and is seen as a significant diplomatic event.

The visit demonstrates the importance both countries place on their traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation, and is expected to open a new chapter in bilateral relations.

After the national anthems were played, the two leaders reviewed the Guard of Honour of the Việt Nam People’s Army and introduced their respective high-level delegations.

State President Lương Cường and Lithuania President Gitanas Nauseda review the guard of honour. — VNA/VNS Photo

Việt Nam and Lithuania established diplomatic relations on March 18, 1992. Over the past three decades, the two countries have strengthened their political trust and cooperative ties, supported by complementary economic strengths despite differences in scale and geography.

Việt Nam views Lithuania as a sincere partner in Central and Eastern Europe, while Lithuania acknowledges Việt Nam’s growing role in Southeast Asia and within ASEAN. The two countries share similar views on sustainable development, digital transformation, and addressing global challenges such as climate change and energy security.

They also cooperate closely at multilateral forums, including the United Nations, ASEM, and ASEAN–EU frameworks. Lithuania has been supportive of key agreements between Việt Nam and the EU, including the EU–Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU–Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), which it was among the first to ratify.

Bilateral trade reached US$192.7 million in 2023, rising to $206.97 million in 2024, and $94.7 million in the first quarter of 2025.

State President Lương Cường and Lithuania President Gitanas Nauseda. — VNA/VNS Photo

Officials noted Việt Nam's role as a fast-growing market of over 100 million people and gateway to ASEAN, while highlighting Lithuania’s strengths in logistics, food processing, pharmaceuticals, and clean energy. Both sides are aiming to leverage existing trade agreements to improve market access and link EU–ASEAN supply chains.

Areas of potential cooperation include digital governance, education, science and technology, high-tech agriculture, healthcare, environmental protection, tourism, and skilled labour exchange. Lithuania is among Europe’s leaders in e-government and digital entrepreneurship, while Việt Nam is pursuing a national digital transformation strategy through 2030.

Following the welcome ceremony, the two presidents led their respective delegations in official talks to assess past cooperation and explore future directions. They are also scheduled to witness the signing of cooperation agreements between ministries and agencies of both countries. — VNS

State President Lương Cường, Lithuania President Gitanas Nauseda, their spouses and children of Hà Nội pose for a group photo. — VNA/VNS Photo