The official visit by Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino and his spouse is expected to give fresh momentum to relations between Vietnam and Panama. The visit takes place from October 5 to 8 at the invitation of Communist Party of Vietnam General Secretary and State President To Lam and his spouse.
Vietnam and Panama established diplomatic relations on August 28, 1975. The two countries marked the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2025. Their cooperation has developed through high-level exchanges, agreements and coordination at international forums.
In July, Panamanian Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Arturo Hoyos visited Vietnam, and the two foreign ministries held their second political consultations. The sides discussed the potential to connect the economies of ASEAN and Latin America.
Panama said it was ready to help Vietnam expand ties with Latin America and wanted to use Vietnam as a bridge to Southeast Asian markets. The sides agreed to strengthen high-level exchanges and expand contacts among ministries, localities and business communities.
They also agreed to promote cooperation agreements in trade, investment, customs, agriculture, tourism, maritime affairs and education.
Trade and logistics
Panama is among Vietnam's top 10 trading partners in Latin America. According to Vietnam Customs, two-way trade reached US$478.1 million in 2025, up 19.2 percent from the previous year.
Vietnam exports footwear, phones and components, computers and electronic products, textiles and garments, vehicles and spare parts, and seafood to Panama. It mainly imports timber and wood products, seafood and several raw materials from Panama.
Panama's location in Central America and the Panama Canal make it a trade and logistics hub and a potential gateway for Vietnamese goods to Central American and Caribbean markets. The two sides see room to expand cooperation in logistics, maritime transport and supply chains.
Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said the countries could expand cooperation in agriculture, telecommunications, infrastructure, maritime transport, port logistics, banking, education and training. Ambassador Nguyen Van Hai also pointed to opportunities in logistics, finance, agriculture, renewable energy and tourism.
Vietnam is ready to facilitate investment and business activities by Panamanian companies and share experience in food production, particularly rice cultivation. Cultural, educational and tourism exchanges have also strengthened ties. A 2019 visa exemption agreement for ordinary passport holders provides a legal basis for broader contacts.
A high-level visit
Mulino's visit is the highest-level bilateral exchange between the two countries in nearly 15 years. The previous visit by a Panamanian president was Ricardo Martinelli's trip to Vietnam in 2012.
During the visit, Mulino is scheduled to hold talks with To Lam and meet Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man.
Ambassador Nguyen Van Hai said the visit was expected to create political momentum at the highest level and turn shared priorities into programmes, action plans and projects. Political consultations and the Joint Commission on Economic, Trade and Investment Cooperation are expected to help implement the leaders' agreements.
Sources: Viet Nam News
