General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and State President Tô Lâm. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and State President Tô Lâm and his spouse Ngô Phương Ly will lead a high-level delegation on a state visit to Denmark and official visits to the European Union (EU) and Belgium from October 19–24.

The visits will be made at the invitation of King of Denmark Frederik X and his Queen, President of the European Council Antonio Costa and Prime Minister of Belgium Bart De Wever, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The announcements came as Việt Nam seeks to deepen political ties and expand cooperation with European partners across trade, investment, green growth, science and technology, innovation and cultural exchanges.

At a press briefing on Thursday, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Phạm Thu Hằng said that during the visit to Denmark, Việt Nam's top leader is scheduled to have an audience with King Frederik X, hold talks with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and meet the Speaker of the Folketing Henrik Frandsen, the Danish parliament, among other engagements.

In EU's capital Brussels, the top leader will meet with the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission – António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen. He is also expected to hold official talks with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, have an audience with the King of the Belgians Philippe and meet the presidents of the Belgian Senate and Chamber of Representatives.

Việt Nam and Denmark have built a strong relationship over 55 years of diplomatic ties, with cooperation covering climate change, energy, the environment and green growth. The two countries established a comprehensive partnership in 2013, followed by a strategic partnership on climate change, energy, the environment and green growth in 2020. A Green Strategic Partnership followed in 2023.

Denmark is the leading EU investor in Việt Nam, according to the spokesperson, and an important Nordic partner in promoting high-quality investment and green growth.

Việt Nam and the EU upgraded their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during EC President António Costa's visit to Việt Nam in 2026, making Việt Nam the first EU partner in Southeast Asia to establish such a framework.

The EU–Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), in force for six years, has helped strengthen economic ties. Việt Nam is the EU's largest trading partner in ASEAN, while the EU is Việt Nam's fourth-largest trading partner and sixth-largest investor, Hằng said.

Việt Nam and Belgium – which, like with many other Western European nations, established diplomatic relations in 1973 – have also developed close ties. Their relations were elevated to a strategic partnership in agriculture in 2018, with cooperation supported by regular high-level exchanges and coordination at regional and international forums.

Belgium is Việt Nam's sixth-largest trading partner within the EU, while Việt Nam is Belgium's largest trading partner in Asia, the spokesperson informed the press.

UNESCO anniversary

Separately, the foreign ministry has also announced that Việt Nam will organise a series of cultural activities in France from October 24–30 to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Việt Nam and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO),

The programme, coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant agencies, will be held under the theme of Vietnamese Theatre Week in France. Ngô Phương Ly, spouse of General Secretary and President Tô Lâm, is expected to attend activities during the programme at the invitation of UNESCO Director-General.

The year 2026 marks 50 years of cooperation between Việt Nam and UNESCO, providing an opportunity to highlight achievements in culture, heritage, education and science. The milestone follows the top Vietnamese leader's visit to UNESCO headquarters in Paris in October 2024, which helped open up new directions for cooperation, spokesperson Hằng said.

The programme will introduce Vietnamese culture, the country's heritage and its people to French audiences, international visitors and the Vietnamese community in France. It also aims to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and expand cooperation between cultural institutions and artists in the two countries.

Vietnamese Theatre Week will be a central feature, showcasing traditional theatrical arts alongside contemporary creations to highlight the diversity and continuing development of Việt Nam's performing arts.

The programme will also include activities marking the 300th birth anniversary of Lê Quý Đôn, the distinguished Vietnamese scholar and cultural figure in the 18th century, including a commemorative ceremony and an exhibition at UNESCO headquarters. These activities will be organised in coordination with the People's Committee of Hưng Yên Province, his hometown.

The cultural programme will take place amid increasingly substantive Việt Nam–France relations, following the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in October 2024. France remains an important partner for Việt Nam in culture, arts, heritage, education and training. — VNS