Recent positive developments

Both countries aim to use this occasion to upgrade their relationship to a comprehensive partnership, timed to coincide with the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 66th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s 1959 visit to Kazakhstan, Tumysh told vtcnews, an arm of VOV, during an interview ahead of To Lam’s state visit.

Over the past years, he said, Vietnam and Kazakhstan have achieved several key milestones. On May 25, 2024, the visa exemption agreement for ordinary passport holders officially took effect, facilitating the growth of tourism, transportation, and logistics between the two countries. In April 2025, the bilateral agreement on the transfer of convicted prisoners, signed in 2023, also came into force.

Government-to-government cooperation has seen remarkable progress, following the organisation of an Intergovernmental Committee meeting in 2024 and a political consultation in 2025. Local-level cooperation is also gaining momentum on the back of partnership agreements between Vietnamese and Kazakh localities in 2024.

In aviation, direct flights between the two countries increased from just two per week in 2022 to four weekly flights by June 2024. Carriers such as Air Astana and Vietjet have launched direct routes to Phu Quoc, Da Nang, and Almaty. All Vietnamese-operated flights now run on a regular basis.

Bilateral investment is also thriving. Kazakh companies have launched several successful projects in Vietnam, while Vietnamese businesses are investing in tourism and hospitality in Almaty. The Kazakh Ministry of Trade and Integration is currently working with Vietnamese firms to foster defence engineering exports.

Bilateral trade has also grown significantly in recent years, reaching nearly US$1 billion in 2024, the highest level to date. This achievement reflects the strength of traditional friendship, effective leadership dialogue, and both countries’ flexible, responsible, and multilateral foreign policies.

After more than three decades of development, Vietnam–Kazakhstan relations have entered what many call a “golden era,” with ample room for expanding comprehensive cooperation in various fields, said the ambassador.

While bilateral trade nearly hit US$1 billion during 2023–2024, a strong figure for Central Asia, this still falls short of the true potential between the two countries, acknowledged the ambassador, expressing his belief with shared efforts and effective dialogue, the figure could reach US$2 - 5 billion by 2029.

New evenues of cooperation

The diplomat expressed high expectations for To Lam’s visit, calling it a key milestone in elevating bilateral ties and unlocking new areas of cooperation particularly in railway development.

In today’s turbulent global landscape, documents to be signed during General Secretary To Lam’s visit are expected to inject fresh momentum into bilateral cooperation, said the diplomat.

In the field of logistics and transportation, he said, Kazakhstan is particularly interested in the Hai Phong – Hanoi – Lao Cai railway project. This route is expected to connect further to Kunming (China), Almaty (Kazakhstan), the major Kazakh seaport of Aktau, and Baku (Azerbaijan), creating a promising "Middle Corridor" to Europe.

Kazakhstan is prepared to allocate 100–200 hectares of land to build logistics hubs for cargo transshipment, he stated.

With regard to defence, he said, Kazakhstan owns several military equipment manufacturers from the Soviet era, whose products are compatible with systems previously used by Vietnam. The country hopes to expand defence cooperation during the upcoming visit.

Kazakhstan currently ranks as the third-largest source of tourists to Vietnam, with over 450,000 arrivals each travel season. A sister-city agreement between Da Nang and the city of Aktau, along with newly expected direct flight routes, is set to further promote two-way tourism.

In agriculture, Kazakhstan values Vietnamese products such as ST25 rice, tea, and coffee. It also seeks to export high-quality, competitively priced goods like organic apples, meat, and wheat to Vietnam.

In energy, Kazakhstan, a country with experience in nuclear power, has expressed interest in cooperating with Vietnam should the national nuclear energy programme be restarted.

Ambassador Tumysh said hebelieves that the visit by General Secretary To Lam will mark a turning point, a catalyst to usher in a golden era in Vietnam–Kazakhstan relations.

Da Nang receives first flight from Kazakhstan

VOV.VN - Budget airline Vietjet’s VJ52 flight carrying nearly 300 international passengers from Almaty, Kazakhstan, landed at Da Nang International Airport at noon on April 2.