On May 8 in Colombo, Tô Lâm, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, together with Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, co-chaired the Vietnam – Sri Lanka Trade, Investment and Tourism Cooperation Forum.

The Forum was jointly organized by Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Sri Lanka Export Development Board.

General Secretary and President Tô Lâm delivers remarks at the Forum. Photo: VNA

Also attending the event were Politburo members including Nguyễn Duy Ngọc, Nguyễn Thanh Nghị, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Phan Văn Giang, Minister of Public Security Lương Tam Quang, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Hoài Trung, and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Trần Lưu Quang; VCCI President Hồ Sỹ Hùng; VCCI Vice President Nguyễn Quang Vinh; along with more than 250 representatives from government agencies, ministries and businesses of both countries.

The Vietnam – Sri Lanka Trade, Investment and Tourism Cooperation Forum was organized to strengthen bilateral friendship and cooperation, while creating opportunities for businesses from both sides to exchange information, connect and explore cooperation opportunities in trade, investment and tourism.

Speaking at the Forum, senior leaders of both countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening business connectivity, improving the investment and business environment, expanding cooperation in complementary sectors, and promoting people-to-people exchanges and tourism cooperation.

Both leaders emphasized the central role of the business community in realizing bilateral cooperation goals and promoting more substantive and sustainable economic relations between Vietnam and Sri Lanka.

Vietnam – Sri Lanka cooperation should be viewed within a broader context: the Indian Ocean region, South Asia, and emerging global supply chains. The issue is not only potential, but action — swift, decisive and effective action.

General Secretary and President Tô Lâm and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya witness the exchange of cooperation documents between the two countries. Photo: VNA

Following the directions of General Secretary and President Tô Lâm, VCCI President Hồ Sỹ Hùng emphasized that Vietnam and Sri Lanka share a long-standing friendship built on trust and mutual respect.

According to the VCCI President, economic cooperation between the two countries has achieved many positive results in recent years, especially in trade. In 2025, bilateral trade turnover increased by 20% compared to 2024.

However, total bilateral trade has only reached nearly USD 300 million, which remains modest compared to the actual potential and the close political relationship between the two countries.

The VCCI President noted that, based on each country’s current strategic development orientation, strengthening import-export activities toward a billion-dollar trade scale, together with investment and tourism cooperation, would form an effective cooperation model aligned with the comparative advantages and needs of both economies.

This demonstrates that there remains significant untapped potential for cooperation between Vietnam and Sri Lanka in the coming years.

Vietnam is one of Asia’s most dynamic economies, with a stable political environment, deep international integration and a strategic gateway to the ASEAN market. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka holds a strategic position along international maritime routes and serves as a key hub in the Indian Ocean region, with strengths in logistics, seaports, textiles, agriculture and services. The two economies are highly complementary and possess favorable conditions to deepen cooperation across various sectors.

The Vietnam – Sri Lanka Trade, Investment and Tourism Cooperation Forum.

Therefore, the VCCI President affirmed that VCCI will continue to promote its role as a bridge connecting businesses from both countries, contributing effectively and sustainably to economic growth and development toward the 2045 national goals outlined by the General Secretary and President.

He also expressed confidence that, under the attention and direction of General Secretary and President Tô Lâm, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and senior leaders of both countries, the Forum’s outcomes would lay an important foundation for new cooperation opportunities between the Vietnamese and Sri Lankan business communities.

VCCI Vice President Nguyễn Quang Vinh (center) and delegates at the Forum.

The Forum attracted a large number of businesses operating in tourism and services, aviation, logistics and supply chains, chemicals, textiles and garments, real estate and infrastructure development, agriculture and food processing, information technology and digital transformation.

Participating businesses discussed cooperation potential, investment opportunities and solutions to promote more balanced, sustainable and effective economic cooperation.

A total of seven agreements were signed between enterprises during the Forum in sectors including tourism, agricultural processing, rubber, fertilizers and chemicals. One notable highlight was the announcement of plans to launch direct flights connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Colombo, to be operated by Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air.

The establishment of direct air routes is expected to shorten travel time between the two countries and facilitate trade, tourism, cultural exchange and investment, while also supporting the development of regional logistics and supply chains.

Many other agreements are also currently under discussion and detailed review.

At the Forum, witnessed by General Secretary and President Tô Lâm, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and senior leaders of both countries, several memoranda of understanding (MOUs) were exchanged, focusing on sectors in which major enterprises from both countries are strengthening cooperation. Seven agreements were signed directly at the Forum in the areas of tourism, agricultural processing, rubber, fertilizers and chemicals.