President Lương Cường and his wife, along with King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema, in the Presidential Palace. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — President Lương Cường said the first official visit to Việt Nam by a Bhutanese head of state opened a new chapter in bilateral relations, coinciding with a historic moment as Việt Nam marks the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day.

He made the statement on Tuesday during talks with King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan, following a State welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hà Nội.

President Lương Cường extended a warm welcome to the king and commended Bhutan’s achievements in sustainable development under his leadership.

He underscored Bhutan’s distinctive development model, based on Gross National Happiness, which places people at the centre while maintaining a harmonious balance between cultural identity, environmental protection and the well-being of citizens.

The Bhutanese king expressed gratitude for the cordial reception extended to himself, the queen and the high-level delegation from Bhutan by the Party, State and people of Việt Nam.

The king said Bhutanese people hold great respect for President Hồ Chí Minh and admire Việt Nam’s accomplishments over eight decades of struggle for independence and national development.

He expressed confidence that Việt Nam will realise its sustainable development goals and confirmed Bhutan’s interest in studying Việt Nam’s governance model and economic experience.

The Bhutanese head of state also reaffirmed his country’s appreciation of Việt Nam’s role and position in the Asia–Pacific region and expressed a strong desire to expand cooperation in areas where the two countries have complementary strengths and shared potential.

The two heads of state witness the signing of an MOU on a cooperation framework between the two governments. — VNA/VNS Photo

The two leaders agreed that the friendship between Việt Nam and Bhutan is underpinned by warm ties, shared values and a common vision of sustainable development.

They committed to further strengthening political trust, promoting regular high-level exchanges and accelerating the signing of cooperation agreements to establish a stronger framework for joint projects and initiatives.

Recognising the considerable potential for economic, trade and investment cooperation, the leaders urged greater collaboration between ministries, agencies and businesses, with a focus on expanding market access, diversifying supply chains and boosting bilateral trade.

They also agreed to broaden cooperation in agriculture, science and technology, innovation, education, training and culture. They called on airlines to consider launching direct flights to boost tourism, cultural exchanges and people-to-people ties.

The two heads of state witness the exchange of an MOU between Việt Nam’s Civil Aviation Authority and Bhutan’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.— VNA/VNS Photo

The heads of state also agreed to share experiences in preserving cultural heritage and explore new areas of cooperation to support sustainable development and improve the quality of life for residents of both countries.

In the context of ongoing global uncertainty, they welcomed the fact that Việt Nam and Bhutan share many common positions at international forums, particularly on issues such as sustainable development, climate change, nature conservation and peacekeeping.

They pledged to continue supporting each other at the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement and other multilateral organisations.

President Lương Cường accompanies King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck after their talks. — VNA/VNS Photo

President Cường welcomed Bhutan’s readiness to expand relations and deepen cooperation, confirming that Việt Nam is ready to support Bhutan in strengthening its engagement with Southeast Asia and ASEAN.

Following the talks, the Vietnamese president and Bhutanese king witnessed the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding, one on a governmental cooperation framework and the other on aviation cooperation. — VNS