Vietnam President To Lam Visits US Command, Australia and New Zealand

Vietnamese President and Party General Secretary To Lam is conducting a series of high-level diplomatic engagements to strengthen strategic partnerships with the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

On August 5, 2026, President To Lam hosted Admiral Samuel Paparo of the United States Pacific Command in Hanoi. During the meeting, To Lam identified the United States as a top strategic partner and urged the prompt conclusion of the Section 301 trade investigation to prevent bilateral harm. The leaders discussed digital transformation, science, and humanitarian efforts to recover missing personnel. To Lam also invited U.S. President Donald Trump to visit Vietnam for the 2027 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week.

Following these talks, President To Lam will undertake a diplomatic tour of Oceania from August 9 to 14. He will first visit Australia for four days, meeting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra on August 11 to discuss defense, security, and economic cooperation. This visit follows a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed in March 2024 and will include trade talks, as well as a legal requirement for the President to participate in the Australian census.

President To Lam will conclude the tour with a State visit to New Zealand, arriving in Auckland on August 12. He is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and the Governor-General to further economic ties, noting that two-way trade reached NZ$3.41 billion in the year ending March 2026.