The upcoming state visit to Vietnam by King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and the Queen of Bhutan at the invitation of State President Luong Cuong and his spouse is expected to further deepen bilateral ties and promote cooperation in potential areas.
This will be the first state visit to Vietnam by the King and Queen of Bhutan since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 2012, marking an important milestone in bilateral relations.
Vietnam and Bhutan enjoy a strong friendship. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, Vietnam has consistently valued its relations with Bhutan, regarding it as a pioneer in pursuing green growth and maintaining high “happiness” indicators. Meanwhile, Bhutan considers Vietnam a priority partner for strengthening bilateral relations and is keen to learn from Vietnam’s development experience.
Leaders of the two countries regularly exchange messages of congratulations on each other’s important celebrations. In recent years, the two countries have made efforts to strengthen economic and trade cooperation, with two-way trade reaching around 20,000 USD annually. Vietnam’s main exports to Bhutan include wood products, machinery, equipment, tools, spare parts, and other goods. Vietnam currently has two investment projects in Bhutan with a total registered capital of 937,000 USD.
The two countries see great potential for cooperation in agriculture, tourism, culture, education, science - technology, digital transformation, and green development. They are currently considering the establishment of a consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries and the signing of several agreements to lay the foundation for cooperation, including an air services agreement and a memorandum of understanding between their civil aviation authorities
Bhutan has expressed interest in importing Vietnamese goods such as agricultural products, consumer goods, garments, food, and electronics. The country also encourages Vietnamese businesses to invest in the Gelephu Mindfulness City Special Economic Zone, and expand cooperation in tourism, spirituality, culture, and Buddhism.
Vietjet of Vietnam has operated several charter flights carrying tourists to Bhutan on designated routes, while Bhutan Airlines is planning to launch direct flights during peak travel seasons./.
