The Bhutanese Leading the way.
His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen returned to Bhutan on 22nd August 2025 after concluding a landmark State Visit to Việtnam, the first from Bhutan to the Southeast Asian nation.
Their Majesties were warmly received throughout the five-day visit, during which they met with Việtnam’s senior leadership, business leaders, local authorities, and the Bhutanese community in the country.
Their Majesties arrived in Hà Nội on 18th August, accompanied by Their Royal Highnesses Gyalsey Jigme Namgyel, Gyalsey Ugyen Wangchuck, and Gyalsem Sonam Yangden.
On the 19th, Their Majesties paid tribute at the Monument to Heroes and Martyrs and at the Mausoleum of President Hồ Chí Minh, the founder of modern Việtnam, and were then received in an official ceremony at the Presidential Palace by President Lương Cường and Madame Nguyễn Thị Minh Nguyệt, which included a Guard of Honour.
His Majesty held a bilateral meeting with the President, during which two Memoranda of Understanding were signed: one on cooperation between the two governments, and another on civil aviation.
His Majesty also met with the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việtnam, Tô Lâm, the Prime Minister, Phạm Minh Chính, and the Chairman of the National Assembly, Trần Thanh Mẫn.
Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen visited Trấn Quốc Pagoda, Hà Nội’s oldest Buddhist temple, accompanied by the President’s Spouse, and were received by the abbot, Most Venerable Thích Thanh Nhã.
The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment, together with representatives of WWF-Việtnam called on Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen in Ha Noi, and exchanged views on conservation, biodiversity, and sustainable development, reflecting shared priorities between Bhutan and Việt Nam.
During the visit, Their Majesties travelled to Quang Ninh province, and met with local government leaders and visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay.
Their Majesties also met with the small Bhutanese community in Việtnam, which includes business owners and monks.
The visit reaffirmed the growing friendship between Bhutan and Việtnam, with both sides committing to deepen ties not only in investment and trade but also in cultural and spiritual exchanges. Việt Nam’s leaders welcomed the opportunities presented by Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City initiative, recognising it as a pioneering model of values-based sustainable development.
At the conclusion of the visit, Their Majesties expressed heartfelt appreciation for the warmth and hospitality extended by the government and people of Việt Nam, and extended invitations to the country’s leaders to visit Bhutan.
Both Bhutan and Viet Nam expressed satisfaction with the steadily growing friendship and cooperation between the two nations. The leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepen collaboration across politics, economy, investment, trade, technology, education, culture, air connectivity, health, exchange of expertise, agriculture, environment, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges as well as multilateral collaboration in the regional and international arena.
A highlight of the visit was Viet Nam’s recognition of the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) initiative. Vietnamese leaders commended His Majesty’s vision of building a global model of regenerative, values-based urban development rooted in Bhutan’s traditions and Buddhist heritage while integrating modern technology, design, GMC presents across its planned economic clusters.
His Majesty expressed deep appreciation for Viet Nam’s remarkable socio-economic progress, the resilience and creativity of its people, and its dynamic path of modernization. His Majesty also lauded the success of Vietnamese leadership in transforming the country into one of the fastest growing economies and a thriving manufacturing hub in the region.
The two sides agreed to strengthen political ties through more high-level visits, exchanges between ministries, and greater people-to-people contact.
Cultural and religious cooperation also featured prominently, with both sides pledging enhanced exchanges between Buddhist scholars, monks, practitioners, and institutions, as well as collaboration in conservation, performing arts, museums, culinary heritage, and traditional knowledge systems.
On the economic front, Bhutan and Viet Nam agreed to explore negotiations on key agreements, including a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement and an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement.
The two sides also encouraged exchanges of market information and future MoUs to expand trade and investment.
Bhutan welcomed Vietnamese foreign direct investment, further into GMC.
To boost connectivity, leaders welcomed ongoing negotiations for an Air Service Agreement and called for its early conclusion to facilitate travel and exchanges between the two countries.
Both sides reiterated the commitment to sustainability, environmental conservation and combating climate change.
Cooperation in agriculture, renewable energy, organic farming, IT, manufacturing, eco-tourism, and human resource development were identified as priority areas for joint projects and technology sharing.
Tourism was another key sector, with both sides agreeing to promote joint initiatives and policies to increase visitor flows. Commitments were also made to further strengthen cooperation at multilateral platforms, including the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Framework for Cooperation between the two governments, and a MoU between the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and Viet Nam’s Civil Aviation Authority.
Both countries also agreed that their respective Foreign Ministries will maintain regular consultations to review cooperation, explore new areas of engagement, and coordinate on shared priorities.
His Majesty The King expressed heartfelt gratitude to the leaders and people of Viet Nam for their warm hospitality and extended an invitation to Viet Nam’s leadership to visit Bhutan.
