The direction emerged during online talks on May 11 between Vietnamese Party General Secretary and State President To Lam and Swiss President Guy Parmelin, held as the two countries mark the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations (October 11, 1971-2026).

During the talks, the Vietnamese leader To Lam described Switzerland as one of Vietnam’s leading partners in Europe and expressed hope that the country would continue serving as a trusted partner in Vietnam’s next stage of development.

He outlined Vietnam’s ambition to become a developed, high-income country by 2045 while maintaining growth of more than 10% and accelerating economic transformation through science, technology and innovation.

Against that backdrop, both sides placed particular emphasis on expanding cooperation in areas linked to the digital economy and emerging technologies.

According to the Vietnamese side, science and technology are expected to become a new pillar of bilateral cooperation, with priority areas including biotechnology, green energy, digital transformation and innovation-driven industries.

Party chief and President To Lam also proposed stronger collaboration in financial technology and sustainable finance, calling on Switzerland to share expertise in developing the international financial centre and fintech ecosystems, particularly in digital finance, blockchain, digital assets and sustainable financial models.

Swiss President Guy Parmelin, for his part, congratulated the Vietnamese leader on his election as State President and praised Vietnam’s rapid and comprehensive development achievements, saying they had made “a strong impression on the world.”

He reaffirmed Switzerland’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Vietnam in support of the country’s reform process and long-term development goals.

Switzerland is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading financial and innovation hubs, with strengths in banking, wealth management, fintech, precision manufacturing and high-tech research.

Beyond technology and finance, the two leaders agreed to deepen political trust and maintain regular high-level exchanges while further implementing the Comprehensive Partnership framework established in January 2025.

Trade and investment cooperation also featured prominently in the talks. Both sides stressed the importance of accelerating negotiations for a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), of which Switzerland is a member, describing the deal as a potential new driver for bilateral economic ties.

The leaders also discussed the expansion of cooperation in security and defence, while agreeing to strengthen coordination at international forums and within the United Nations framework on issues related to peace, stability and international law.

Party General Secretary and President To Lam also expressed hope that Switzerland would continue creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community living in the country to integrate and contribute to bilateral relations.

At the end of the talks, the Vietnamese leader invited President Guy Parmelin to visit Vietnam, and the Swiss President accepted the invitation with pleasure.

Communist Party of Switzerland expresses confidence in Vietnam’s development

VOV.VN - Massimiliano Ay, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Switzerland, has sent congratulations after To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, was elected by the National Assembly as President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; Le Minh Hung was elected Prime Minister; and Tran Thanh Man was elected Chairman of the National Assembly.