General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and President of Việt Nam Tô Lâm meets with Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Harini Amarasuriya. — VNA/VNS Photo

COLOMBO — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and President of Việt Nam Tô Lâm met with Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Harini Amarasuriya in Colombo on the afternoon of Friday as part of his state visit to the South Asian country.

Welcoming the top leader and high-ranking delegation of Việt Nam on their first state visit to Sri Lanka, the host described the trip as an important milestone in the traditional friendship between the two countries.

Expressing satisfaction with the great strides in bilateral relations, PM Amarasuriya stressed that the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Partnership carries extreme significance, opening up new and promising prospects for cooperation, particularly amid profound changes in the regional and international landscapes.

Party General Secretary and President Lâm affirmed that Việt Nam always attaches importance to its traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Sri Lanka. He appreciated the valuable support and assistance Sri Lanka had given to Việt Nam during the struggle for national independence in the past as well as the current national development process.

On this occasion, the Party and State leader of Việt Nam congratulated his host and the Sri Lankan Government on the positive outcomes achieved in socio-economic development, macroeconomic stabilisation and the gradual recovery of growth. He expressed confidence that with its Government's reform determination and capabilities, Sri Lanka will successfully realise its development goals and emerge as a dynamic connectivity hub with an increasingly important role in the Indian Ocean region.

Briefing the Sri Lankan PM on the key outcomes of his talks with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the top leader of Việt Nam affirmed that the agreement to elevate bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Partnership reflects a high level of political trust and will expand cooperation in a more comprehensive and substantive direction.

Party General Secretary and President Lâm suggested PM Amarasuriya direct relevant Sri Lankan agencies to work closely with their Vietnamese counterparts to effectively implement the agreements reached, particularly in strengthening political trust via regular exchanges of high-level and all-level delegations, contacts and bilateral cooperation mechanisms.

Both host and guest hailed the positive results achieved across various fields of cooperation.

Stressing the considerable untapped potential in bilateral trade and investment, the visiting leader proposed that the Sri Lankan Government facilitate and offer incentives for major Vietnamese enterprises to invest in sectors like infrastructure, services, tourism, electric vehicles, technology and telecommunications.

He also called for concrete measures to boost market access for goods from both countries, with the goal of raising bilateral trade turnover to US$1 billion.

The two sides agreed to consider signing intergovernmental agreements to strengthen collaboration in new and highly promising areas such as critical minerals, artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation, seaports and aviation.

PM Amarasuriya shared her strong impression of the Vietnamese leader's inspiring address at the Sri Lankan Parliament earlier on Friday, noting that Việt Nam’s achievements and the cooperation proposals he put forward closely match Sri Lanka’s aspirations.

Discussing major orientations for bilateral ties, the Sri Lankan PM affirmed that on the basis of the newly established Comprehensive Partnership, the Sri Lankan Government will continue working closely with the Vietnamese Government to strengthen cooperation across multiple fields.

She asked Việt Nam to create favourable conditions for Sri Lankan enterprises to expand their presence in Việt Nam while supporting her country through experience sharing and training for officials, civil servants and students.

At the meeting, the two leaders agreed that their countries will work together to turn the good intentions and aspirations for bilateral relations into tangible outcomes so that in the future, they could look back with pride on the achievements born from today’s determination.

They voiced their belief that the Vietnam–Sri Lanka Trade–Investment– Tourism Forum held during the visit, together with the signing of multiple cooperation agreements, will create strong momentum for cooperation in trade, investment, tourism and people-to-people exchanges in the coming period. — VNA/VNS