Vietnam, Bhutan Deepen Friendship with Agreements on Cooperation and Connectivity
Hanoi, The Gulf Observer: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck of Bhutan have concluded their state visit to Vietnam, held from August 18 to 22, marking the first-ever state-level visit from Bhutan to the Southeast Asian nation.
The visit, undertaken at the invitation of President Lương Cường and his spouse, featured a series of high-level engagements, including meetings with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Tô Lâm, President Lương Cường, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, and National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn. King Jigme also paid tribute to President Hồ Chí Minh and laid a wreath at the Monument to War Heroes and Martyrs.
Both sides hailed the growing friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Bhutan, reaffirming their shared commitment to deepen collaboration across politics, economy, trade, investment, education, culture, technology, tourism, environment, agriculture, and multilateral platforms.
Vietnamese leaders commended Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City initiative, describing it as a pioneering model of values-based urban development that integrates traditional Bhutanese culture with cutting-edge global standards and offering significant investment opportunities.
King Jigme praised Vietnam’s rapid socio-economic progress, its resilience, and its transformation into one of the fastest-growing economies and manufacturing hubs in the region.
The two countries agreed to enhance political ties through regular high-level exchanges, strengthen cultural and religious cooperation—including Buddhist exchanges, conservation efforts, and shared spiritual programs—and initiate negotiations on agreements covering double taxation, investment protection, and trade facilitation. Bhutan also welcomed further Vietnamese investment, particularly in the Gelephu project.
On connectivity, both sides called for the early conclusion of the Air Service Agreement to expand travel and people-to-people exchanges. They also pledged stronger cooperation in sustainability, climate change, renewable energy, green development, eco-tourism, and human resource development, with emphasis on education, skills training, and technology.
Tourism was highlighted as a key sector for collaboration through joint promotion and supportive policies to increase visitor flows between the two nations.
The visit saw the signing of two important documents: a Memorandum of Understanding on the Framework for Cooperation between the Governments of Vietnam and Bhutan, and an MoU on civil aviation cooperation between Bhutan’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and Vietnam’s Civil Aviation Authority.
Both sides reaffirmed their cooperation at multilateral forums, including the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement, and agreed to maintain regular consultations between their foreign ministries.
Concluding the visit, King Jigme expressed gratitude for Vietnam’s warm hospitality and extended an invitation for Vietnamese leaders to visit Bhutan.
