President Putin starts state visit to Viet Nam today

This is Putin’s fifth visit to Viet Nam since 2001. Earlier, Putin paid official and state visits to Viet Nam in 2001, 2006 and 2013. In 2017, he arrived in Da Nang to attend the APEC Summit.

Putin is expected to join dialogues and meetings with Vietnamese top leaders, and attend an event with graduates from Russian and Soviet Union universities.

The two sides are expected to release a joint statement and sign a cooperation pact in education, justice, customs procedures, health and energy, Bezdetko said.

Viet Nam established diplomatic relations with Russia, the then Soviet Union, in 1950. The countries elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2012.

The two countries have signed more than 100 cooperation agreements in economy, commerce, investment, security and defense.

As of this April, Russia has invested US$984.98 million in 186 projects in Viet Nam, making it the 28th largest investor out of 145 countries and territories.

Viet Nam, in turn, has invested US$1.63 billion in 18 projects in Russia, focusing on sectors like oil and gas, agriculture, and manufacturing.

Last year, Russia granted 1,000 scholarships for Vietnamese students. Around 5,000 overseas Vietnamese students are studying in Russia. The Vietnamese community in Russia reached over 60,000.

On June 16, high-ranking leaders of the two countries exchanged congratulatory letters on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the signing of the 'Treaty on Principles of Friendly Relations between the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the Russian Federation' (June 16, 1994 - 2024)./.