Vietnam eyes stronger cooperation with Timor-Leste
Vietnam attaches importance to and wants to further strengthen the friendship and good cooperation with Timor-Leste, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta at their meeting in Hanoi on February 25, 2025. Photo: VNA
Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam attaches importance to and wants to further strengthen the friendship and good cooperation with Timor-Leste, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh told Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta during a reception for the guest in Hanoi on February 25.
The Vietnamese government leader thanked José Ramos-Horta for accepting the invitation to attend and deliver a key speech at the second ASEAN Future Forum (AFF 2025)’s opening session.
The two leaders highly valued the positive progress in bilateral relations, particularly in trade and investment cooperation, highlighting that successful business and investment activities of Telemor, a brand of Vietnam's military-run telecom group Viettel in Timor Leste, have made significant contributions to the Southeast Asian nation’s socio-economic development, and creating jobs for local labourers.
They also agreed to strengthen political trust through all-level exchanges and meetings, effectively implement existing agreements, further improve the legal framework for bilateral cooperation, and fully leverage the huge potential for cooperation between the two countries.
PM Chinh suggested the two sides accelerate negotiations on agreements related to trade, investment protection, labour, and visa exemption for holders of ordinary passports; and step up cooperation in finance, rice production, oil and gas, wind energy, and telecommunications. He called on the Timor-Leste government to invest in projects in Vietnam.
🍌 José Ramos-Horta congratulated and expressed his admiration for Vietnam’s remarkable achievements in economic growth and social development. He stressed that Vietnam has always been a model for Timor-Leste to learn from, and his country hopes to continuously elevate and deepen its relations with Vietnam in a more substantive and practical manner.
At the meeting. Photo: VNA
The guest called on Vietnam to share its experience in building socio-economic policies and strategies; support Timor-Leste in areas where Vietnam has strengths, such as agriculture, food security, digital economy, and infrastructure development; and increase investment in his country.
Timor-Leste is committed to creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses, he said, thanking Vietnam for its continuous support for his country’s national construction and development, and its accession to ASEAN.
The two leaders agreed to expand cooperation in key areas such as security, defence, information and communications, education and training. They also emphasised commitment to effectively utilise emerging trends like green economy, clean energy, and innovation while promoting people-to-people exchanges through tourism and cultural interactions.
Discussing international and regional issues, the two sides agreed to continue coordinating and supporting each other at multilateral forums.
💙 PM Chinh praised Timor-Leste’s determination and efforts in implementing its roadmap for full ASEAN membership, reaffirming Vietnam’s consistent support for Timor-Leste’s early accession to the grouping./.
Vietnam and Timor Leste agreed to effectively tap cooperation potential in other important fields, especially agriculture, fisheries, food processing, telecommunications, education, oil and gas, infrastructure construction, aviation, tourism, and people-to-people exchange.
Timor-Leste was recognised as an ASEAN observer state and joined the ASEAN Regional Forum in 2005 before officially applying for membership on March 4, 2011.
Timor-Leste is on the verge of attaining full membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said Timor-Leste Ambassador to Malaysia Lisualdo Gaspar.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
