Swiss President Guy Parmelin and his spouse, Caroline Parmelin, left Hanoi on the evening of October 18, concluding a two-day official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam and his spouse.
During the visit, the Swiss President, his spouse and the high-ranking Swiss delegation laid a wreath and paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum.
The top Vietnamese leader chaired an official welcome ceremony, held talks with President Guy Parmelin and hosted a banquet in honour of the Swiss delegation. The two leaders also witnessed the exchange of cooperation documents. Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man separately met with the Swiss President.
During the meetings, the Vietnamese leaders welcomed President Guy Parmelin, his spouse and the high-ranking Swiss delegation on their official visit to Vietnam as the two countries celebrate the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
They expressed appreciation for Switzerland being one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam, as well as for the Swiss President's affection for Vietnam and its people.
Vietnam consistently attaches importance to its friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Switzerland. The two sides said the visit demonstrated their commitment to realising and further deepening their Comprehensive Partnership, established in January 2025.
The Vietnamese side congratulated Switzerland on its achievements, including its position among the world's 20 largest economies, strong competitiveness and social stability. The hosts expressed confidence that the prosperity of Switzerland and Vietnam serves the interests of both countries and their people and contributes to peace and prosperity in the regions and the world.
President Guy Parmelin recalled his visit to Vietnam in 2019 and expressed pleasure at witnessing the country's dynamic development. He congratulated Vietnam on its recent achievements and thanked the Vietnamese State, Government and people for the warm reception extended to him, his spouse and the Swiss delegation.
He welcomed the positive development of bilateral economic ties, with two-way trade growing by an average of 7 per cent annually over the past four years and investment increasing by 8 per cent per year.
He said that signing a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) would create favourable opportunities for businesses to tap the considerable potential for future cooperation.
He also said that the free trade agreement between Vietnam and EFTA countries, including Switzerland, would create valuable opportunities for businesses to tap into the potential for future cooperation. He cited more than 100 Swiss companies already operating in Vietnam, Switzerland's advanced technologies and promising solutions, Vietnam's rapid economic growth and its young workforce.
The two sides expressed satisfaction with the strong development of bilateral relations over more than five decades and agreed to further strengthen cooperation in line with their Comprehensive Partnership, while effectively capitalising on opportunities offered by the Vietnam-EFTA Free Trade Agreement (VEFTA).
On the evening of October 17, the top leader and his spouse, Ngo Phuong Ly, joined President Guy Parmelin and his spouse for a walk along the pedestrian streets around Hoan Kiem Lake, where they interacted with local residents. The two spouses also visited Hanoi University of Pharmacy.
On the morning of October 18, in the presence of the top leader, Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung and representatives of the EFTA member states signed VEFTA. They included Swiss President and head of the Swiss Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research Guy Parmelin; Liechtenstein Prime Minister and Minister of Government Affairs and Finance Brigitte Haas; Iceland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Thordis Kolbrun Reykfjord Gylfadottir; and State Secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Astrid Bergmal.
In the afternoon, Swiss President Guy Parmelin attended and delivered a speech at the Vietnam-Switzerland Economic Forum 2026.
Sources: Viet Nam News
