Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm and President of Panama José Raúl Mulino at the press briefing announcing the outcomes of their official talks in Hà Nội on October 6. — VNA/VNS Photo Tuấn Anh

HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm and President of Panama José Raúl Mulino have agreed to further deepen bilateral economic, trade and investment ties, while leveraging the two countries’ geographical advantages to strengthen connectivity between East Asia and Latin America.

The agreement was reached during talks between the two leaders in Hà Nội on Tuesday, followed by a meeting with the press at the National Assembly House as part of President Mulino’s official visit to Việt Nam.

Top leader Tô Lâm said the talks were held in a friendly, open and trusting atmosphere, with the two sides discussing bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of shared concern.

The two leaders noted that Việt Nam–Panama relations continued to develop positively, with high-level visits and contacts as well as cooperation mechanisms maintained. Bilateral trade had also recorded growth, reaching nearly US$500 million in 2025.

The two sides agreed that substantial room remains for expanding cooperation, particularly in trade, investment and services.

They agreed to promote cooperation in economic and trade activities, investment, agriculture, port logistics, finance, banking, tourism, transport and other areas where the two countries have strengths.

The two sides will also continue negotiations on agreements concerning investment protection, aviation and other fields, creating a more favourable legal framework for expanding bilateral cooperation.

A key focus of the talks was making better use of the two countries’ geo-economic advantages and strengthening connectivity in transport, logistics, financial flows and supply chains between East Asia and Latin America, thereby creating new opportunities for businesses from both countries.

The top leader said Việt Nam would stand ready to work with Panama to effectively implement the outcomes of President Mulino’s visit, better tap the potential and strengths of both sides, and bring bilateral relations to a level commensurate with the two countries’ potential.

In multilateral cooperation, the two sides agreed to continue coordinating and supporting each other at international organisations and multilateral forums, while exchanging views on regional and international issues of shared concern.

They underscored the importance of upholding the principles of international law and the UN Charter, and supporting freedom and safety of navigation and overflight as well as the settlement of disputes by peaceful means on the basis of respect for international law, particularly the UN Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

An important outcome of the visit was the adoption of a joint statement setting out orientations, objectives, principles and key areas of cooperation for Việt Nam–Panama relations in the coming period.

The two sides agreed to strengthen exchanges through state diplomatic channels, promote parliamentary and people-to-people diplomacy, and facilitate businesses’ access to each other’s markets and deeper participation in regional and global supply chains.

Tô Lâm expressed his belief that President Mulino’s visit would provide fresh momentum for implementing the agreements reached, unlocking the potential and strengths of both sides, and making bilateral cooperation more substantive, effective and commensurate with the potential of Việt Nam and Panama.

Panama – gateway 

President José Raúl Mulino said that although Panama and Việt Nam are geographically distant, the two peoples had enjoyed a relationship of friendship and solidarity built over more than five decades.

For Panama, he said, expanding and diversifying its international relations would be important, with Việt Nam being a key partner in Southeast Asia.

President Mulino said economic relations featured prominently in the talks, noting that Việt Nam had developed impressive industrial and export capacity.

Panama wanted to become a gateway for Vietnamese industry to access Latin American and Caribbean markets, he said, encouraging Vietnamese businesses to make use of Panama’s advantages to establish a presence in the country and expand into regional markets.

The two sides also discussed agriculture, connectivity, tourism, maritime cooperation and other areas where their capabilities complement each other.

President Mulino said the two countries wanted to create better conditions for businesses and producers to seek new markets, helping make the great geographical distance between Việt Nam and Panama less of a barrier.

During the visit, the two sides signed agreements on security, maritime transport and agriculture. These agreements represent important steps, while the task now is to turn them into concrete projects and results that benefit the peoples of both countries, according to President Mulino.

Panama wants to move closer to Việt Nam, expand its presence in Asia and create new spaces for trade, investment and cooperation between the two peoples. — VNA/VNS