At the invitation of President Luong Cuong, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and his spouse, accompanied by a high-level Lithuanian delegation, paid an official visit to Vietnam from June 11 to 12.

As part of the visit, President Nauseda and his spouse laid wreaths at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the Monument to Heroic Martyrs on the morning of June 12, before attending an official welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace and holding talks with President Luong Cuong.

Welcoming President Nauseda and his delegation, President Cuong stressed that this marked the first-ever state visit by a Lithuanian head of state since both countries established diplomatic relations in 1992. He said the historic visit opened up new opportunities for cooperation, especially in areas where the two sides have complementary strengths and interests.

The Vietnamese State leader affirmed that the visit would serve as a new breakthrough to deepen the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Lithuania, making it more substantive and effective. Vietnam, he said, attaches importance to Lithuania as a key traditional partner in the region.

President Cuong reaffirmed the appreciation of the Vietnamese Party, State, and people for the valuable support that Lithuania extended to Vietnam during its struggle for national liberation, as well as its ongoing development. These are seen as sincere sentiments and an invaluable asset that underpin efforts to further strengthen bilateral ties across the board.

President Nauseda, for his part, expressed his elation at making his first-ever visit to Vietnam and applauded the country’s impressive achievements in national renewal (Doi Moi) process, while noting its status as one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia and the world.

He affirmed Vietnam as a leading partner of Lithuania in the region and voiced hope to expand multifaceted cooperation, particularly in fields with high potential and shared interest.

In a warm, trusting, and open atmosphere, the two leaders exchanged views on the situation in each country and discussed concrete measures to strengthen ties. On political and diplomatic cooperation, they consented to intensify high-level exchanges and meetings across Party, State, Government, and parliamentary channels as well as people-to-people diplomacy with a view to consolidating political trust and deepening mutual understanding.

On economic, trade, and investment ties, both Presidents identified this as a pillar of bilateral relations and agreed that there is ample room to further increase trade in the time ahead.

They discussed expanding cooperation mechanisms, including establishing an intergovernmental committee on economic and sci-tech cooperation, and effectively carrying out the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) to facilitate market access in both directions, including to the wider EU and ASEAN region.

They also agreed to accelerate talks on cooperation agreements, including an avoidance of double taxation deal, to remove barriers and clear the way for stronger trade and investment links. Relevant ministries, agencies, and localities were tasked with closely coordinating to beef up  cooperation in specific areas.

The two leaders highlighted the complementarity of their high-quality agricultural products and the potential for cooperation in processing to ensure sustainable development and food security.

They concurred to bolster cooperation in science and technology, especially in high-tech sectors, digital transformation, information technology, fintech, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy. These areas were seen as crucial to both countries’ development goals and as promising fields for bilateral co-operation.

Host and guest also agreed to promote defence and security cooperation in line with international law and each country’s legal framework, particularly in crime prevention, cyber and information security, thus contributing to regional and global peace and stability. President Cuong invited President Nauseda to attend the signing ceremony of the UN Convention on Cybercrime to be held in Hanoi in October 2025.

The two leaders also pledged to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and linkages between localities through trade, investment, and tourism promotion.

President Cuong acknowledged Lithuania as one of the first EU member states to ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), and urged Lithuania to advocate for the remaining EU members to follow suit. He also asked for Lithuania’s support in encouraging the European Commission to lift the IUU “yellow card” on Vietnamese seafood exports.

Both sides consented to continue coordination at multilateral forums, particularly the United Nations and ASEAN–EU cooperation frameworks, to tackle global and regional challenges. Vietnam supports Lithuania’s early accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) and its expanded cooperation with ASEAN and its member states. Lithuania, in turn, voiced support for Vietnam–EU ties and affirmed its readiness to work with Vietnam bilaterally and through EU mechanisms.

President Cuong thanked the Lithuanian government for supporting the Vietnamese community in Lithuania and asked for continued facilitation of their integration and contributions to Lithuanian society and bilateral friendship.

With regard to regional and international issues of mutual concern, President Cuong urged Lithuania to back ASEAN and Vietnam’s position on the East Sea, including peaceful dispute resolution based on international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as a contribution to maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and aviation in the region and beyond, for the sake of cooperation and shared prosperity.

President Nauseda extended an invitation for President Cuong to visit Lithuania at a mutually convenient time. President Cuong thanked him and accepted the invitation with pleasure. Details will be arranged through diplomatic channels.

Following their talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of several cooperation documents in the fields of energy, science and technology, agriculture, and finance.

Welcome ceremony for Lithuanian President on official visit to Vietnam

VOV.VN - President Luong Cuong and his spouse hosted an official welcome ceremony for Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and his spouse, who are on an official visit to Vietnam, at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi on June 12.