The meeting took place during To Lam's official visit to the European Union and Belgium, as Vietnam and the EU work to translate their newly established Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into concrete economic and development initiatives.

Von der Leyen warmly welcomed To Lam and praised the positive progress in Vietnam-EU relations, particularly following the upgrade of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

She reaffirmed that the EU attaches great importance to its relationship with Vietnam, which it regards as a reliable and like-minded partner in the Indo-Pacific region.

The European Commission president expressed her desire to work closely with Vietnam to implement the new partnership framework effectively, particularly in trade, investment, science and technology, innovation, and sustainable development.

To Lam, expressing his pleasure at meeting von der Leyen again, reaffirmed that Vietnam has consistently regarded the EU as one of its priority partners and is committed to making their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership deeper, more substantive and more effective.

He praised von der Leyen's vision and determination to build a stronger, more autonomous Europe and welcomed EU strategies and initiatives aimed at improving competitiveness, accelerating the green and digital transitions, and strengthening the bloc's international role.

Sharing Vietnam's long-term development vision and priorities, To Lam emphasized the country's determination to achieve its strategic goals for 2030 and 2045.

He said Vietnam aims to pursue rapid and sustainable development by maximizing its domestic strengths while actively integrating into the global economy and drawing on international resources, knowledge, advanced technologies and experience.

Against this backdrop, he proposed that Vietnam and the EU capitalize on their complementary strengths and make science and technology, innovation, and energy transition central pillars of their strategic cooperation.

Such collaboration, he said, would help both economies strengthen their autonomy, self-reliance and resilience.

EU ready to support Vietnam's ambition to become a regional transport hub

To Lam called for more effective use of cooperation opportunities under the EU's Global Gateway initiative, the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and Horizon Europe, the bloc's flagship research and innovation funding program.

He urged both sides to accelerate priority cooperation programs and projects, particularly in strategic infrastructure, scientific research and innovation.

Von der Leyen praised Vietnam's development potential and its increasingly important role in regional and global supply chains.

She expressed interest in expanding cooperation on critical raw materials, particularly sustainable extraction and processing, technological development and supply chain diversification.

These efforts, she noted, would support the green and digital transitions while strengthening the competitiveness of both economies.

The European Commission president also highlighted considerable opportunities for cooperation in areas where the EU has expertise and Vietnam has development priorities, including nuclear energy and renewable energy.

She affirmed the EU's readiness to support Vietnam in pursuing its ambition to become a regional transport and logistics hub.

Von der Leyen also expressed interest in further developing recently signed cooperation arrangements involving the Bac Ai hydropower project, Lien Chieu Port in the central city of Da Nang, and the renovation and preservation of Hanoi's historic Long Bien Bridge.

During the meeting, To Lam thanked von der Leyen for inviting him to attend and address the third Global Gateway Forum, scheduled for June 2027.

He described the forum as an important opportunity to expand cooperation in investment, strategic infrastructure and energy transition.

Both leaders agreed to make full use of the special working group established to facilitate implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), with the aim of further expanding bilateral economic and trade exchanges.

They also agreed to work toward the early removal of the EU's yellow-card warning against Vietnam's seafood sector over illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Discussing regional and international issues, the two leaders reaffirmed their readiness to coordinate closely at multilateral forums and uphold multilateralism and international law.

They emphasized the importance of promoting free, uninterrupted and unimpeded trade while safeguarding freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Both sides pledged to contribute actively to peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development in the region and around the world.

Tran Thuong