Timor-Leste and Vietnam strengthen bilateral cooperation during the Prime Minister’s official visit to Hanoi
Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão paid an official visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam from June 8th to 10th, 2026, accompanied by a high-level government delegation, to strengthen bilateral relations and deepen cooperation between the two countries.
Upon his arrival in Hanoi, the Head of the Government was welcomed with official honours and began his visit with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Monument to Heroes and Martyrs and at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Ba Dinh Square, paying tribute to the Vietnamese people’s history and struggle for independence. 
During the visit, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and the Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly, Tran Thanh Man, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and Timor-Leste’s regional integration into ASEAN.
The Prime Minister stated, “Timor-Leste deeply values Vietnam as a long-standing friend. Our two countries share important historical experiences, including the struggle for national dignity, reconstruction, and a commitment to building strong institutions to improve the lives of our peoples.”
During the meetings, the Timorese Government expressed interest in strengthening cooperation in areas including agriculture, food security, fisheries, tourism, infrastructure, connectivity, and human resource development. The Prime Minister also highlighted the contribution of Vietnamese investment to Timor-Leste's development, particularly through Telemor, and reiterated the interest in attracting more Vietnamese investment to strategic sectors.
The Head of Government also thanked Vietnam for supporting Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN and expressed the country’s interest in continuing to learn from Vietnam’s experience in economic integration, institutional development, strategic planning, and regional coordination.
Following the bilateral meeting between the two heads of government, Timor-Leste and Vietnam signed four cooperation agreements.
Two of the agreements pertain to the fields of education and higher education, with the aim of fostering partnerships between academic and research institutions, facilitating student and staff exchanges, developing training and research programmes, and promoting scholarship opportunities.
The remaining agreements cover visa exemptions for holders of ordinary passports and cooperation between the Timor-Leste News Agency (TATOLI, IP) and the Vietnam News Agency (VNA).
During the visit, the Prime Minister also visited the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) in Bac Ninh Province, where he highlighted Timor-Leste’s interest in learning from Vietnam’s experience in economic development, agriculture, and agribusiness and in promoting training and capacity-building opportunities for young people in Timor-Leste.
The Head of Government also met the UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Seema Malhotra, with whom he exchanged views on regional and international issues. During the meeting, they discussed British support for developing an artificial intelligence ecosystem in Timor-Leste and for strengthening cooperation with ASEAN.
On the sidelines of the official visit, three presidents of municipal authorities in Timor-Leste—Francisco dos Santos (Dili), Veneranda Lemos Martins (Baucau), and Luís Marçal da Costa Tavares (Manufahi)—attended the 2026 ASEAN Cities Leaders Conference, which focused on developing smart, sustainable, and connected cities.
The Timorese delegation included, among other government officials, Vice Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs and Minister of Tourism and the Environment Francisco Kalbuadi Lay; Vice Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Rural Development and Community Housing Mariano Assanami Sabino; the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas; the Minister of Education, Dulce de Jesus Soares; the Minister of Trade and Industry, Filipus Nino Pereira; the Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs, Milena Maria da Costa Rangel; the Secretary of State for Media, Expedito Dias Ximenes; and the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Elizabeth Exposto.
The official visit, at the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, served to strengthen the ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
