In November 2000, US President Bill Clinton visited Vietnam for the first time after the Vietnam - US normalized relations in 1995. He was the first US president to Vietnam 25 years after end of the Vietnam War. In addition to meetings with senior leaders of Vietnam, Clinton and his wife and daughter visited the first university of Vietnam - Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam. A memorable moment was recorded when the former US president shook hands with some Hanoians from the balcony of a building opposite the Temple of Literature on November 17th 2000.

The same day, Clinton visited the Hanoi National University and had a talk with the students here. He returned to Vietnam in December 2006 and July 2014 as the President of the Bill Clinton Foundation. Former President Clinton decided to normalize relations with Vietnam in 1995 and signed a bilateral trade. He said the normalization of Vietnam-US bilateral relations was the proudest achievement in his term.

Former US First Lady Hillary Clinton and daughter Chelsea wore conical hats while visiting a charity facility of the Vietnam Women's Union and Oxfam in Yen Tang village, Bac Phu commune, Soc Son district, Hanoi on November 17th 2000.

On November 19th 2006 morning, US President George Bush and his wife went to the Cua Bac Church in Hanoi for prayer. This was the sideline activity in his official visit to Vietnam to attend the APEC Summit 14. The trip to Vietnam from November 17 to 20, 2006 was the longest overseas bilateral visit made by Bush since he took office. It was also the second official visit of a US president to Vietnam after the visit of President Clinton in 2000.

Russian President Vladimir Putin beat the drum in the Temple of Literature on the first visit to Vietnam in March 2001. He returned to Vietnam twice in 2006 to attend the 14th APEC Summit and in November 2013 at the invitation of President Truong Tan Sang.

Back to Vietnam on the third time on November 12th 2013, President Putin laid a wreath at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and visited President Ho Chi Minh. 

In November 2009, the first time French Prime Minister Francois Fillon visited Vietnam since the two countries established diplomatic relations. The French Prime Minister visited the ancient capital of Hue.

The Temple of Literature was also the place where the most powerful woman in the world - German Chancellor Angela Merkel – visited during a visit to Vietnam in October 2011.

Coming to Vietnam the second time in September 2013, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (pink shirt) and his wife were present at Ly Thai To flower garden in Hanoi. He talked with Singaporeans who were living and working in Vietnam.

During the two-day visit to Vietnam (July 29-30, 2015), British Prime Minister David Cameron visited Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, HCM City.