President Lương Cường hosts official welcome ceremony for Brazilian countepart Lula

President Lương Cường greeting Brazilian President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva at the Presidential Palace in Hà Nội on March 28. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

HÀ NỘI — State President Lương Cường on Friday presided over the official State-level welcome ceremony for President Lula da Silva at the Presidential Palace in Hà Nội.

The ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn, along with the Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Lê Minh Hoan, Chairman of the President’s Office Lê Khánh Hải, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Đỗ Đức Duy, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên and Minister of Education and Training Nguyễn Kim Sơn. Also in attendance, Chairman of the Hà Nội People’s Committee Trần Sỹ Thanh, Deputy Minister of National Defence Phạm Hoài Nam, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bùi Thế Duy, Deputy Minister of Public Security Lê Văn Tuyến, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Đỗ Hùng Việt, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyễn Xuân Sang, Deputy Minister of Finance Trần Quốc Phương, along with the Assistant to the President Tống Thanh Trì and Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil Bùi Văn Nghị.

Representatives of the diplomatic corps included ambassadors and chargé d’affaires of Latin American and Caribbean countries based in Hà Nội.

A large group of children from the capital gathered at the Presidential Palace, waving the flags of both nations to welcome President Lula da Silva and the high-level Brazilian delegation.

This is President Lula da Silva’s second visit to Việt Nam, coming seventeen years after his first in 2008. He has long held deep admiration and affection for Việt Nam, having previously joined demonstrations in support of the country’s struggle for national liberation. His visit to Việt Nam this time also marks the first State visit by a foreign Head of State in 2025, underscoring Việt Nam’s respect for the Brazilian President and the importance attached to the Việt Nam–Brazil relationship.

State President Lương Cường and Brazilian President Lula da Silva review the guard of honour at the welcome ceremony. — VNA/VNS Photo

The motorcade escorting President Lula da Silva entered the Presidential Palace, where President Lương Cường warmly welcomed him on the red carpet and a group of Hà Nội children presented him with a bouquet of fresh flowers.

To the sounds of the ceremonial music, President Lương Cường and President Lula da Silva walked along the red carpet and stepped onto the honour platform. After listening to the national anthems of both countries, the two leaders moved to salute the national flag and review the Honour Guard of the Việt Nam People’s Army. Following this, they introduced members of the high-level delegations attending the ceremony.

President Lula da Silva’s visit marks a significant milestone in the bilateral relationship, aligning with Việt Nam’s foreign policy direction. The visit supports international commitments and strengthens new cooperation frameworks, while reaffirming Việt Nam’s determination to deepen ties with important Latin American partners, particularly Brazil.

State President Lương Cường and Brazilian President Lula da Silva listen to the two nations' national anthems. — VNA/VNS Photo

This visit also highlights the continuous development of bilateral relations and the shared commitment of both sides to implement practical measures that will effectively advance the Việt Nam–Brazil Strategic Partnership. It aims to elevate cooperation across politics and security, economics, trade and investment, science and technology, innovation, culture and society and climate change to new heights.

It further presents an opportunity for the two leaders to exchange views and agree on concrete steps to realise the full potential of the Strategic Partnership. The visit also represents a turning point for Việt Nam in advancing cooperation with Brazil, Latin America’s largest economy and a key regional leader.

In terms of economic and trade collaboration, Brazil is currently Việt Nam’s largest trading partner in Latin America, while Việt Nam is a key partner for Brazil in Southeast Asia. Bilateral trade has grown rapidly, from US$1.53 billion in 2011 to US$7.98 billion in 2024. The two sides are now aiming to raise this figure to US$10 billion by 2025 and US$15 billion by 2030.

In addition to trade, there is great potential for cooperation in agriculture, energy, science and technology, security and defence, environmental protection and responding to climate change. Việt Nam also wishes to initiate negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) with MERCOSUR, of which Brazil is a member.

Brazilian President Lula da Silva pays respect to President Hồ Chí Minh at his masoleum in Hà Nội on March 28. — VNA/VNS Photo

Beyond economic and trade agreements, the visit opens up avenues for the two countries to share experiences and collaborate in other promising sectors such as tourism, aviation, seaports and logistics. These are areas where both countries have significant potential that remains largely untapped, therefore expanding cooperation in these fields would help boost bilateral relations even further.

With a strong foundation built over the past thirty-five years, President Lula da Silva’s State visit to Việt Nam is expected to elevate Việt Nam–Brazil relations to a new level. It will reinforce political trust and commitments, expand cooperation horizons and foster deeper and more sustainable comprehensive ties, delivering tangible benefits to the people of both countries.

Following the welcome ceremony, President Lương Cường and President Lula da Silva led their respective high-level delegations into official talks. They reviewed recent developments in bilateral cooperation and discussed future directions. The two leaders are also scheduled to witness the signing of cooperation agreements and hold a joint press briefing. — VNS

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