HANOI, Vietnam – Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary To Lam is planning visits to Russia, France, the United States and Canada this month in an effort to strengthen ties with key partners amid trade uncertainty affecting the export-dependent economy, according to sources familiar with the plans.
The diplomatic push is also drawing attention in Thailand, where officials and businesses are watching Vietnam’s growing role as a competitor in tourism, manufacturing, trade and investment. Both countries are seeking to strengthen their positions in a changing regional economy. The high-profile foreign tour would be unusual even for Lam, who has travelled extensively and hosted numerous foreign leaders since taking office in 2024.
The visits would add to his already busy September schedule, which includes talks with Myanmar’s President Min Aung Hlaing this weekend, following official visits to Australia and New Zealand last month. In October, Lam is expected to return to Europe, where he may meet European Union leaders in Brussels as part of a multi-country tour, the sources said.
No official schedule has been announced, the dates may change, and Vietnam’s foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters. Three sources said Lam was expected to begin his Russia visit on September 7, meeting President Vladimir Putin before travelling to France for talks with President Emmanuel Macron.
One official said the trip was aimed at building political trust in areas including energy, defense and security. Russia remains Vietnam’s largest arms supplier and is involved in nuclear energy and gas projects in the South China Sea, including waters claimed by China, despite Hanoi’s efforts to diversify its arms suppliers.
In France, Lam is expected to attend an international space summit in Paris on September 9-10, two sources said. Airbus Defense and Space signed a cooperation agreement with Vietnam during Macron’s visit last year, one of several deals worth billions of dollars, although many were not legally binding. French companies are also watching Vietnam’s railway, airport and defense projects.
After a brief return home, Lam is expected to travel to the United States, where he may deliver a speech at the high-level debate of the United Nations General Assembly, beginning on September 21. None of the sources had information about a meeting with US President Donald Trump.
A White House official said Trump’s schedule for those dates had not yet been finalized. US-Vietnam relations have come under strain from Trump’s efforts to reduce trade imbalances, with Vietnam’s exports to the United States reaching record levels. The two leaders held a brief meeting in February, when Lam joined Trump’s Board of Peace. Lam is expected to travel from the United States to Canada on September 24, according to the sources.
