General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly depart Hanoi on October 28 for a three-day official visit to the UK. (Photo: VNA)  

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, together with a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, departed Hanoi on October 28 for a three-day official visit to the UK.

The visit is made at the invitation of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Accompanying the General Secretary are Politburo members: Nguyen Duy Ngoc, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of the committee’s Inspection Commission; Nguyen Trong Nghia, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of its Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation; Nguyen Hoa Binh, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister; General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defence; and General Luong Tam Quang, Minister of Public Security.

The Party chief's entourage also includes Le Hoai Trung, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Tran Luu Quang, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee; Pham Gia Tuc, member of the Party Central Committee and head of the Party Central Committee’s Office; Dao Ngoc Dung, member of the Party Central Committee and Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs; Doan Hong Phong, member of the Party Central Committee and Inspector General of the Government Inspectorate; Nguyen Van Thang, member of the Party Central Committee and Minister of Finance; Nguyen Manh Hung, member of the Party Central Committee and Minister of Science and Technology; Nguyen Kim Son, member of the Party Central Committee and Minister of Education and Training; Nguyen Thi Hong, member of the Party Central Committee and Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam; To An Xo, Assistant to the Party General Secretary and head of the Party General Secretary's Office; and Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Do Minh Hung.

Vietnam and the UK established diplomatic relations on September 11, 1973, with the UK being among the first Western nations to do so. Over the past more than five decades, the friendship and cooperation between the two countries' peoples have continuously strengthened and developed.

The official visit by Party General Secretary To Lam, his spouse, and the high-ranking delegation coincides with the 15th anniversary of the Vietnam–UK Strategic Partnership (2010-2025). It marks an important milestone, offering an opportunity for both countries to review bilateral cooperation, highlight key achievements, and outline new directions for advancing their partnership in the years ahead. /.