General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam, his spouse, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, arrived in Brussels on October 21 afternoon (local time), marking the start of an official visit to the European Union (EU) and the Kingdom of Belgium, at the invitation of European Council President António Costa and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever.
According to the Vietnam News Agency, the top Vietnamese leader, his spouse and the delegation were welcomed at Melsbroek Military Airport by First Vice President of the Belgian Senate Andries Gryffroy; Belgian Ambassador to Vietnam Pieter Leenknegt; Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium and Head of the Vietnamese Delegation to the EU Nguyen Huong Tra, among others.
The visit aims to further strengthen cooperative relations with key partners in Europe.
The visit takes place in the context of the ongoing deepening of Vietnam-EU relations. Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1990, both sides have gradually expanded cooperation in various fields. The Vietnam-EU Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation, effective since 2016, provides an important political and legal framework for bilateral relations.
In January 2026, Vietnam and the EU upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, opening opportunities to enhance cooperation in economics, trade, green transition, energy, innovation, security, and regional and international issues.
Regarding the Kingdom of Belgium, more than 50 years since establishing diplomatic relations in 1973, bilateral cooperation has been continuously strengthened in political, trade, agriculture, education, science and technology, and development cooperation. The two countries also actively coordinate in multilateral forums.
The visit reaffirms the importance of the EU and Belgium in Vietnam's foreign policy and international integration; it contributes to strengthening political trust, promoting the realization of high-level commitments, and advancing cooperative relations to a new stage of development.
Leveraging overseas resources, promoting knowledge and investment connections
On the same afternoon in Brussels, General Secretary and President To Lam, along with his spouse and the delegation, met with staff and employees of the Vietnamese representative agencies in Belgium and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Europe.
During the meeting, Ambassador Nguyen Huong Tra reported that the community of approximately 1.5 million Vietnamese in Europe is increasingly stable, deeply integrated, holds a position in the host countries, and always looks towards their homeland.
Associations, particularly the Union of Vietnamese Associations in Europe, have played a role in connecting the community, preserving cultural identity, and promoting friendly relations between Vietnam and European countries.
Representatives of the overseas Vietnamese expressed their desire to contribute more practically to the country's development, especially through connecting knowledge, technology, capital, and international networks with domestic projects. They also requested more attention to preserving the Vietnamese language and culture for the younger generation born abroad.
In his remarks at the meeting, General Secretary and President To Lam acknowledged and highly appreciated the contributions of the Vietnamese community in Europe to the country and the host society, particularly in business, science, technology, education, and culture.
He emphasized that in the new development phase, Vietnam needs to combine internal strength with international resources, promoting the great unity of the entire nation, including over 100 million compatriots in the country and 6.5 million Vietnamese living, studying, and working abroad.
Regarding Resolution No. 23-NQ/TW of the Politburo on the work of overseas Vietnamese, General Secretary and President To Lam affirmed that the Party and State will continue to improve institutions, mechanisms, and policies in a comprehensive, open, and breakthrough manner, creating conditions for overseas Vietnamese to participate deeply in socio-economic life, accompanying and co-creating in the country's development process.
He urged Vietnamese associations in Europe to continue to play a core role in solidarity, enhancing the community's position, and acting as a bridge to promote friendly and cooperative relations between Vietnam and European countries.
Particularly, the business community needs to actively bring Vietnamese goods to the European market and connect European businesses to invest in Vietnam. Experts, intellectuals, and scientists should promote research, develop advanced and strategic technologies, and implement cooperation programs and projects with the country.
General Secretary and President To Lam also called on ministries, sectors, and localities to proactively connect and create a favorable environment for overseas Vietnamese to invest in, research, and transfer technology to the homeland. Vietnamese representative agencies abroad must be a reliable support, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the overseas Vietnamese, while promoting specific and practical cooperation programs.
On this occasion, General Secretary and President To Lam praised the initiative to organize the 5th Global Overseas Vietnamese Conference, scheduled to take place in Hanoi from December 17–20, 2026. He urged relevant agencies to coordinate and facilitate the participation of overseas Vietnamese.
Google translate