The Hon. Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education

¶ 01 His Excellency To Lam, President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, Hon. Speaker, Hon. Members of Parliament, distinguished Members of the Vietnamese Delegation and Excellencies, at the outset, I warmly welcome His Excellency President To Lam and the members of his Delegation to the Parliament of Sri Lanka.

¶ 02 We appreciate Your Excellency for honouring the invitation extended by the President of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Anura Kumara Dissanayake, during his State Visit to Viet Nam last year to commemorate the 55th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Viet Nam and undertaking this State Visit. It is noteworthy that this is your first overseas State Visit to the region following your re-election as President and your re-appointment as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam.

¶ 03 Although Sri Lanka–Viet Nam diplomatic relations were established over five decades ago, the historical ties between our people date back many centuries. Sri Lankan Buddhist monks, merchants and travellers fostered early connections with East Asia, including Viet Nam. Those early connections are the foundation of our links today. Over time, this relationship has flourished, grounded in mutual trust and respect and the principle of multilateralism.

¶ 04 Our countries have stood by each other during challenging times. Sri Lanka established diplomatic relations with Viet Nam amidst considerable external pressures, and in turn, Viet Nam has consistently supported Sri Lanka at multilateral fora. The people of Sri Lanka deeply appreciate this solidarity.

¶ 05 The number of high-level exchanges between our two countries stands as a testament to the strength of our close relationship. Let me recall that President Ho Chi Minh, the founder of modern Viet Nam, visited Sri Lanka on three occasions, reflecting the high value Viet Nam has long placed on its ties with Sri Lanka.

¶ 06 Today, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam enjoy strong and multifaceted bilateral relations spanning politics, trade and investment, education, technology, agriculture, culture and people-to-people exchanges. Sri Lanka remains firmly committed to further strengthening these ties for the mutual benefit of our two peoples.

¶ 07 Excellencies, Hon. Members of Parliament and distinguished Guests, His Excellency To Lam’s Address to the Parliament of Sri Lanka today is historic, being the first by a Vietnamese leader.

¶ 08 Viet Nam’s remarkable progress in recent decades has positioned it as one of the most dynamic and robust economies in our region. This journey is an inspirational example for countries striving towards sustainable and inclusive economic growth and development including Sri Lanka. We have followed with interest your approach to development with its focus on digital transformation, high-quality growth and green development. You have invested in infrastructure upgrading, human capital development and green growth. This is closely aligned to the development trajectory chosen by our Government.

¶ 09 Your Excellency’s extensive experience in public service and leadership, particularly in guiding Viet Nam’s transformation into a regional economic powerhouse and its transition from a purely agricultural economy to an innovative and productivity-driven economic hub is noteworthy. We are pleased that our Hon. Members of Parliament were privileged to hear firsthand about Viet Nam’s development trajectory.

¶ 10 Your Excellency, in your speech today, you mentioned that the people are the root of all things. I think that is a timely and invaluable reminder for all of us, particularly within our Parliament, which is rooted on that principle.

¶ 11 I extend my gratitude to His Excellency To Lam, President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam for an inspiring speech.

¶ 12 Thank you very much.