Prime Minister of Timor-Leste Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao arrives in Hanoi, beginning his official visit to Vietnam and attending the third ASEAN Future Forum. (Photo: VNA)

At Noi Bai International Airport to welcome the delegation were: Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ngo Le Van; Vietnamese Chargé d'affaires in Timor-Leste Pham Binh Dam. From the Timor-Leste side, there was Timor-Leste Ambassador to Vietnam João Pereira.

Accompanying Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao on his official visit to Vietnam and attendance at AFF 2026 are: Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, and Minister of Tourism and Environment Francisco Kalbuady Lay; Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs, and Minister of Rural Development and Community Housing Mariano Asanami Sabino; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Bendito dos Santos Freitas; Minister of Education Dulce de Jesus Soares; Minister of Trade and Industry Philip Nino Pereira; Deputy Minister in charge of ASEAN Affairs, Head of Timor-Leste's ASEAN SOM, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Milena Maria da Costa Rangel; Secretary of State for Social Communication Expedito Parrot Dias Ximenes; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to Vietnam João Pereira.

Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao was born on June 20, 1946, in Manatuto, Timor-Leste. He is fluent in three languages: English, Tetum, and Indonesian. He served as President of Timor-Leste from 2002-2007; Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Security from 2007-2012; Prime Minister from 2012-2014; Minister of Planning and Strategic Investment from 2014-2017; Special Representative of the Government for land border negotiations with Indonesia in 2018; Special Representative of the Government for signing necessary procedures to ratify the Treaty between Timor-Leste and Australia on establishing corresponding maritime boundaries in the Timor Sea from 2018-2020; Special Representative of the Government on the green economy from 2019 to present. Since 2023, he has been the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste.

According to Vietnamese Chargé d'affaires in Timor-Leste Pham Binh Dam, the official visit of Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao to Vietnam and participation in the third ASEAN Future Forum holds significant importance not only for the bilateral relations between the two countries but also for Timor-Leste's ASEAN integration process after officially becoming the 11th member of the Association. In recent years, high-level leaders of Timor-Leste have visited Vietnam multiple times and participated in major activities organized by Vietnam, demonstrating their appreciation for the bilateral relationship and Vietnam's role and position in the region.

During this visit, both sides are expected to sign a number of important cooperation documents. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese Chargé d'affaires in Timor-Leste Pham Binh Dam stated that the official visit of the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste demonstrates the desire to enhance bilateral relations in multiple areas, while also serving as a concrete implementation of the 14th Party Congress Resolution, which emphasizes the crucial and regular mission of foreign affairs to practically serve the country's security and development interests. Elevating the close, substantive, and effective relationship between Vietnam and Timor-Leste to a new level aligns with the interests of both countries and their peoples, while contributing to building a united, inclusive, and resilient ASEAN.

Regarding the focus, during this visit, both sides are expected to sign several important cooperation documents, creating a legal foundation and favorable conditions to promote multifaceted cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, laying a long-term foundation for bilateral relations.

In an interview with the press ahead of Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao's visit, Timor-Leste Ambassador to Vietnam João Pereira expressed deep pride in Vietnam's heartfelt support for his country's development, particularly highlighting telecommunications cooperation as the greatest success symbol.

Ambassador João Pereira hopes that the two countries will further explore the vast potentials in agriculture, aquaculture, mining, and oil and gas sectors.

Ambassador João Pereira stated that Timor-Leste wishes to collaborate with Vietnam to apply the successful model of the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) to build a Vietnam-Timor-Leste Industrial Park (V-TIP) in Dili.