The forum was jointly organised by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, with the participation of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, representatives of ministries and agencies, and businesses from both countries.

Addressing the forum, PM Harini Amarasuriya said the two countries share a longstanding friendship built on mutual respect, common values and close people-to-people ties. Over the years, bilateral relations have continued to deepen across trade and investment, education, culture and tourism.

She said both sides are strengthening that solid foundation of cooperation while advancing toward a more dynamic, forward-looking partnership with deeper economic integration, opening a new chapter in bilateral relations.

PM Harini Amarasuriya stressed that the forum demonstrated the two countries’ shared ambition to raise bilateral trade to US$1 billion by 2030, with a focus on diversifying products under the leadership of both countries.

Expressing admiration for Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements, Amarasuriya Sri Lanka hopes to learn from Vietnam’s development experience and further deepen cooperation in trade facilitation, connectivity and cooperation. She noted that Sri Lankan businesses have established around 30 investment projects in Vietnam, showing confidence in Vietnam’s dynamic, stable and business-friendly environment.

The Sri Lankan Government chief also encouraged Vietnamese businesses to explore opportunities in key sectors including trade and investment, education, agriculture and food processing, logistics and aviation, electronics and information technology, tourism and hospitality.

She affirmed that Sri Lanka is ready to become a reliable, open and forward-looking partner while encouraging regular business delegations, mutual visits and continued dialogue to build sustainable partnerships.

In his address, To Lam said the forum was not only a venue for exchanging cooperation opportunities, but also a symbol of the growing links between the two economies and regions, as well as wider global flows of trade, investment and development.

Vietnam’s top leader said the world is changing rapidly and in increasingly complex ways, and no country can achieve sustainable development in isolation. Economies need closer links, complement one another more effectively, improve competitiveness and participate more deeply in global value chains. In that context, Vietnam-Sri Lanka relations carry particular significance as ties between two countries with important geostrategic positions and complementary strengths that can serve as connectors within the evolving regional economic architecture.

To Lam noted that Vietnam has recorded major socio-economic achievements in recent years, reinforcing its position as a dynamic, stable and highly open economy. Vietnam remains among the world’s leading trading economies and has signed and implemented multiple new-generation free trade agreements, creating favourable conditions for businesses to access the global market.

He added that Vietnam continues to attract international investors thanks to its stable political environment, abundant workforce and competitive costs, while the country is also emerging as an attractive tourism destination with strong recovery and growth momentum.

“These achievements show that Vietnam is not only a market, but also a reliable development partner and an important link in global supply chains,” To Lam said.

Vietnam’s top leader said that although economic cooperation between the two countries has made progress, current cooperation remains modest compared to existing potential. He described the opening of direct air links, particularly routes between Colombo and Ho Chi Minh City, as a practical step with strategic significance.

To Lam stressed that future Vietnam-Sri Lanka cooperation should follow an efficient and focused approach aimed at delivering concrete results.

He said both sides should prioritise logistics connectivity and cargo transshipment cooperation, an area that matches Sri Lanka’s advantages and Vietnam’s demand to expand its economic reach into the Indian Ocean.

He also called for stronger cooperation in highly complementary sectors such as agriculture, food processing, textiles and garments, intermediary trade and services, which could be implemented quickly and produce clear results.

The top Vietnamese leader further underlined the need to strengthen tourism connectivity and people-to-people exchanges, saying stronger human connections would reinforce trust and economic exchanges would naturally grow.

He reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to building a favourable, transparent and stable investment environment through institutional reform, administrative reform, infrastructure development and improving workforce quality. Vietnam, he said, guarantees the lawful rights and interests of investors while maintaining dialogue and supporting businesses throughout project implementation.

Vietnam is also reforming its governance model toward serving and supporting businesses, creating conditions for lawful projects to be implemented effectively, he said, adding that enterprises should play a central and pioneering role in bilateral cooperation.

He said Vietnam-Sri Lanka cooperation should be viewed within a broader space spanning the Indian Ocean, South Asia and emerging global supply chains, stressing that the issue is beyond potential and requires swift, decisive and effective action.

At the forum, under the witness of To Lam, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and senior leaders from both countries, Vietnam Airlines announced the launch of a direct air route between Ho Chi Minh City and Colombo.

Vietjet also announced a direct route linking Ho Chi Minh City and Colombo, marking the first direct air connection between Vietnam and Sri Lanka and a new step in the airline’s international expansion strategy, while contributing to stronger economic, trade, tourism and people-to-people ties between the two nations.

The Ho Chi Minh City-Colombo route is expected to launch in August 2026 with four round-trip flights per week. Through Vietjet’s extensive network, Colombo will be connected with economic, tourism and financial hubs across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

On the occasion, To Lam, PM Harini Amarasuriya and senior leaders from the two countries also witnessed the exchange of cooperation agreements among businesses operating in tourism, agricultural processing, rubber, fertilizer and chemicals.

Earlier, the two leader viewed a photo exhibition on Vietnam-Sri Lanka relations organized by the Vietnam News Agency, as well as an exhibition on Vietnamese products.

Vietnam-Sri Lanka ties enter deeper, more effective phase: top Vietnamese leader

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and State President To Lam addressed the Parliament of Sri Lanka on May 8 (local time) during his ongoing state visit to the South Asian nation.