Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong hosts a welcome ceremony for Indian President Ram Nath Kovind in Hanoi on November 20, 2018. (Source: VOV)

The organization of the reception of the Head of State who is also the Head of the Governing Party on an official visit at the invitation of the General Secretary and the President of Vietnam is as follows:

The General Secretary shall preside over the official welcome ceremony, meeting, and reception of the Head of State who is also the Head of the Governing Party (hereinafter referred to as “Head of the guest delegation”);

The President of Vietnam shall preside over the official banquet with the General Secretary, hold a private audience and invite the Head of the Guest Delegation to a friendly meal.

Airport greeters:

Composition: Head and Deputy Head of the Central Diplomatic Department, Head of the President’s Office or escorting Minister, Vietnamese Ambassador in the guest nation, Deputy Chief of Office of the Vietnam Communist Party Central Committee, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hanoi city, Director of Directorate of State Protocol, Director of the Reception Department of the Central Diplomatic Department, Director of the Regional Affairs Department of the Central Diplomatic Department, Director of Department of Foreign Affairs of the President’s Office, and Director of the Regional Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

Protocol: same as prescribed in Point b Clause 1 Article 8 of this Decree.

Official welcome ceremony:

The General Secretary shall preside over the welcome ceremony;

Composition: The spouse of the General Secretary (if the spouse of the Head of Guest Delegation also accompanies him/her), Head of the President’s Office or escorting Minister, Vietnamese Ambassador in the guest nation, and heads of ministries or central authorities corresponding to the composition of the guest delegation and requirements of the reception;

Regarding the reception protocol and reviewing of the Honour Squad of the People’s Army of Vietnam, carry out as prescribed in Points c, d, dd Clause 3 Article 7 of this Decree and do not fire cannons while national anthem melodies of both nations are playing;

In case of inconvenient weather, the official banquet ceremony will be held at the National Assembly House. The Honour Squad shall not perform the marching after the review.

Small meeting and official meeting:

The General Secretary and the Head of the Guest Delegation shall have a small meeting before the official meeting according to the agreement of both parties;

The General Secretary and the Head of the Guest Delegation shall preside over the meeting together;

The composition of Vietnamese participants corresponds with the official composition of the guest delegation and requirements of the meeting content;

During the small meeting and official meeting, there must be honour guards arranged.

High-ranking reception:

Arrange the high-ranking reception of the Head of the Guest Delegation with the President of Vietnam, Prime Minister, President of the National Assembly, and other leaders according to specific requests and conditions of the visit.

Official banquet:

The General Secretary and the President of Vietnam shall preside over the banquet;

Roll out a carpet from the entrance of the banquet room to the parking place of the vehicle of the Head of the Guest Delegation; Arrange honour guard formations in the main hall; and arrange guarding honour guards at the entrance of the banquet room;

Participants:

Vietnamese side: The spouse of the General Secretary and spouse of the President of Vietnam (if the spouse of the Head of the Guest Delegation accompanies him/her); members who participate in the official welcome ceremony and meeting and former Vietnamese Ambassadors in the guest country. In necessary cases, invite some special individuals or representatives of enterprises that have many cooperation with the guest nation;

Guest side: official members, servants, representatives of enterprises (if any) and a number of diplomats of foreign diplomatic missions of the guest nation;

Protocol:

The General Secretary shall give a welcome speech;

The Head of the Guest Delegation shall respond to the speech;

dd) Organization of welcome art performances at the banquet.

The see-off delegation at the airport: same as when welcoming.

Some other special measures may be carried out according to the reception protocol plan or the separate plan approved by competent authorities.