During the trip, the Vietnamese leader also paid an official visit to Thailand and a State visit to Singapore, and delivered a keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue. The tour strengthened Vietnam’s relations with regional partners and enhanced its prestige regionally and globally.
The outcomes of President Lam’s trip fulfilled many expectations. Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines will continue to be close partners, with shared strategic visions, common development aspirations, and increasingly close connections, contributing actively to peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.
Creating new momentum for Vietnam’s ties with Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines
Mr. Lam’s tour took place at a particularly significant moment, following the recent elevation of Vietnam’s relations with Thailand and Singapore to Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and both Thailand and the Philippines.
Party General Secretary and President Lam and leaders of the three countries held extensive discussions on major directions for their upgraded cooperation frameworks, laying the groundwork for stronger bilateral ties in the years ahead.
In Thailand, the two sides reached numerous cooperation agreements, most notably the Action Plan for Implementing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for 2026-2031, which sets a target of raising bilateral trade turnover to 25 billion USD. They also unveiled a logo commemorating the 50th anniversary of Thailand-Vietnam diplomatic relations under the theme “Growing Together”.
Vietnam’s proposal to advance the “Three Connections” strategy linking production, infrastructure, and economic transformation received strong support from scholars and the business community. The initiative addresses fragmented cooperation and creates a more integrated framework for shared development.
Suwatchai Songwanich, Secretary-General of the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association, said: "I think the three connects are the good directions for the two countries to work together in terms of the supply chain, the development of the local business, and also especially in terms of the sustainable development."
The visit to Singapore produced outcomes of historic significance. An intensive schedule of exchanges demonstrated the determination of both sides to effectively implement their new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Leaders of the two countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in all sectors, particularly the digital economy, high tech, green transformation, renewable energy, and human resource development.
At the Vietnam-Singapore Tech Connect Forum on Friday, Party leader and President Lam said both countries have an opportunity right now to expand cooperation into knowledge-based, technology-driven sectors.
Mr. Lam said: “What we’re aiming at is not just acquiring technology but jointly developing technological capabilities, not just pursuing short-term cooperation but creating new values capable of integrating deeply into regional and global value chains. We should establish a Vietnam-Singapore technology cooperation space where knowledge, data, technology, and high-quality human resources are effectively connected to create products and solutions of regional and global value.”
Multiple cooperation agreements were signed or announced during the visit. Most notable was a new-generation Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park model (VSIP 2.0), focused on high tech, sustainability, and smart industrial development.
The visit to the Philippines, the ASEAN Chair for 2026, marked a historic milestone in bilateral relations. It was the first visit to the Philippines by Vietnam’s top Party and State leader in half a century.
The trip underscored Vietnam’s high regard for the Philippines and its determination to make the relationship more stable, sustainable, and substantive, and demonstrated Vietnam’s strong support for the Philippines in its role as 2026 ASEAN Chair.
A strong impression at the Shangri-La Dialogue
Another highlight of the tour was Mr. Lam’s keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. With the world facing growing polarization and geopolitical confrontation, his message was a call to the international community to work together to address a growing crisis of trust, strengthen the rules-based international order, and continue to uphold the central role of ASEAN in addressing regional and global challenges.
Richard Marles, Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, said: "It was fantastic to have General Secretary To Lam here. I think it's very significant to have the President of Vietnam providing the keynote address at Shangri-La this year. I very much note his emphasis on the significance of rules for his country, and that very much accords with the way in which we see the importance of rules. In that sense, we feel that there is a growing strategic alignment between Australia and Vietnam. I was able to have a bilateral meeting, with General Secretary To Lam and indeed, General Giang, who's my counterpart, who I've met on numerous occasions now. We have a growing defense relationship with Vietnam, which we deeply appreciate. I think the other point I'd highlight in relation to General Secretary To Lam's speech on Friday night was the emphasis that he placed on the importance of human development in terms of security and it's absolutely right. You know, we see this amongst Pacific Island countries."
The message Vietnam delivered at the 2026 Shangri-La Dialogue demonstrated that, not only is it a participant in regional affairs, but it is playing a more proactive role in shaping cooperative approaches that promote peace, stability, and sustainable development throughout the region.
