At the farewell ceremony for General Secretary To Lam and his wife at Changi Airport, Singapore. (Photo: Thong Nhat/Reuters)

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son noted that both host countries and the ASEAN Secretariat accorded General Secretary To Lam, his wife, and the delegation a warm and solemn welcome with the highest level of diplomatic protocol, underscoring the significance of the visits.

Son said the visit holds historic significance, as Vietnam has simultaneously upgraded its ties with two ASEAN nations, further strengthening its cooperative relations and contributing more effectively to ASEAN’s shared vision. Vietnam is now the only ASEAN country with which both Indonesia and Singapore have established a comprehensive strategic partnership. Additionally, this marks the first time a General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam has visited the ASEAN Secretariat, reaffirming ASEAN’s strategic importance to Vietnam and Vietnam’s steadfast commitment to playing a proactive and responsible role in the regional bloc.

During the last five days, General Secretary To Lam engaged in more than 40 activities, including high-level meetings, discussions, exchanges across various sectors, policy statements, interactions with the Vietnamese community in both countries, and visits to economic and cultural establishments. On this occasion, Vietnamese ministries, sectors, localities, and enterprises signed numerous cooperation agreements with their counterparts in Indonesia and Singapore. These agreements span various fields, including education and training, transnational crime prevention, fisheries, the digital economy, digital transformation, green transition, and finance.