By Tural Heybatov To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, has paid an official visit to Azerbaijan, marking a significant milestone in the long-standing relationship between the two countries.
The visit was rich in diplomatic engagements. To Lam was received by President Ilham Aliyev, held meetings with Azerbaijani officials, and oversaw the signing of several key bilateral agreements. This visit was the first by a Vietnamese delegation at the level of General Secretary of the Communist Party since diplomatic relations were established in 1992.
However, the roots of Azerbaijan–Vietnam relations go back much further. In 1959, President Ho Chi Minh visited Baku, laying the groundwork for future cooperation. In 1983, Heydar Aliyev, then First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, visited Vietnam, further cementing ties. These landmark exchanges set the stage for decades of cooperation, culminating in President Ilham Aliyev’s state visit to Vietnam in 2014 and the reciprocal visit by Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang to Azerbaijan in 2015.
The 2015 visit also saw the launch of the first Azerbaijan–Vietnam business forum, initiating direct contact between business communities across key sectors, including oil and gas, energy, construction, information and communication technologies, finance, industry, trade, tourism, transport, and pharmaceuticals.
Photo: AZERTAC
Trade relations are gaining momentum. In the first quarter of 2025, bilateral trade volume exceeded the total for all of 2024, effectively doubling year-on-year. Crude oil remains the main Azerbaijani export to Vietnam, but with the country’s growing emphasis on non-oil sectors, the trade balance is expected to diversify. A notable development in recent years was the signing of agreements between Azerbaijan’s Small and Medium Business Development Agency (KOBİA) and Vietnam’s International Business Relations Club, reflecting growing interest in SME cooperation.
In the energy sector, partnerships formed in 2015 between SOCAR, PetroVietnam, and Vietsovpetro encompass exploration, oil supply, and refining.
Cultural, humanitarian, and educational exchanges also continue to thrive. During the Soviet period, approximately 5,000 Vietnamese students received higher education in Azerbaijan — many of whom now hold senior positions in Vietnamese government institutions. During his visit to Hanoi, President Aliyev met with Vietnamese alumni of Azerbaijani universities. The following year, the Vietnam–Azerbaijan Association was established, uniting those who studied in Azerbaijan and strengthening people-to-people ties.
Azerbaijan has historically demonstrated solidarity with the Vietnamese people, particularly during Vietnam’s most difficult times. Though Azerbaijan was part of the USSR at the time, its people offered steadfast support that is remembered in Vietnam to this day.
Vietnam’s modern history is a testament to both resilience and courage. The country endured colonization, foreign occupation, and decades of warfare, yet succeeded in building a unified and independent state. The suffering of those years is preserved in museums dedicated to the Vietnamese struggle against French colonial rule and American intervention.
The French colonial period left especially painful scars, beginning with the occupation of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) in 1859. For nearly a century, the Vietnamese people were subjected to exploitation, their natural wealth plundered, and their labor used without fair compensation. In the 1930s, a national liberation movement began. Thousands of Vietnamese resistance fighters were killed or perished in prisons. The Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi, now a museum, stands as a stark reminder of colonial injustice.
Yet independence brought new challenges. Vietnam remained embroiled in conflict for nearly two more decades due to foreign intervention — most notably by the United States. But through immense sacrifice, the Vietnamese people overcame adversity and emerged as a sovereign, unified nation.
In many ways, the historical experiences of Azerbaijan and Vietnam echo one another. Azerbaijan, too, has endured occupation and ethnic cleansing, and has fought to preserve its independence and territorial integrity. These shared struggles create a deep sense of mutual understanding and trust.
This common perspective forms the basis of the two countries' cooperation in international platforms. Azerbaijan and Vietnam stand united in support of international law, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and the inviolability of borders. Strong inter-party ties between the New Azerbaijan Party and the Communist Party of Vietnam also contribute to the steady development of bilateral dialogue.
As President Ilham Aliyev noted in an interview with Vietnamese media ahead of To Lam’s visit, Azerbaijan and Vietnam work together closely in global forums, including the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). In his joint press statement with To Lam, President Aliyev emphasized that “the growing institutional strength of the Non-Aligned Movement serves the interests of both countries.”
Vietnam has much to gain from this cooperation. Azerbaijani universities continue to welcome students from NAM member states, including Vietnam. As President Aliyev noted, Vietnamese students can benefit from a range of scholarship and grant programs, strengthening academic exchange, joint research, and interpersonal ties between the two nations.
Azerbaijan is well-positioned to serve as Vietnam’s gateway to the wider region and Europe. In turn, Vietnam offers Azerbaijan a strategic bridge to Southeast Asia and the ASEAN community.
The official talks concluded with the signing of a joint statement, identifying priority areas for current and future cooperation. General Secretary To Lam emphasized the importance of revitalizing trade and economic ties through the Intergovernmental Commission. “We must also strengthen our cooperation in defense and security and share experience in areas such as information management and combating transnational and cybercrime,” he told journalists.
Photo: Azernews
Azerbaijan is eager to deepen its partnership with Vietnam across all sectors — including transport and logistics. Thanks to its strategic location and advanced multimodal infrastructure, Azerbaijan plays a key role in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor. This route presents a faster and more cost-effective alternative to traditional shipping lanes through the South China Sea and the Suez Canal, offering Vietnamese exporters direct access to European markets.
“Although we are geographically far apart, today we discussed infrastructure projects that bring us closer together,” said President Aliyev. “We can enhance bilateral trade by utilizing the North–South and East–West transport corridors.”
It is also worth noting that General Secretary To Lam arrived in Baku following an official visit to Kazakhstan and, upon concluding his engagements in Azerbaijan, is scheduled to continue his regional tour with visits to Belarus and Russia. This itinerary reflects Vietnam’s broader strategy of strengthening ties with key partners across Eurasia, particularly those that play an important role in shaping regional connectivity, security, and multilateral cooperation frameworks.
In this context, Azerbaijan stands out as a strategically located nation at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, actively contributing to regional integration and international diplomacy through platforms such as the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of Turkic States, and the UN. By including Baku in his itinerary, General Secretary To Lam underscored Vietnam’s interest in expanding its diplomatic and economic presence in the South Caucasus — a region increasingly recognized for its geopolitical importance and potential as a hub for transcontinental trade.
The visit also signals Hanoi’s intent to pursue a diversified foreign policy, engaging with nations that offer complementarity in energy, trade, education, and infrastructure development. In turn, Azerbaijan welcomes Vietnam’s outreach and sees this high-level engagement as a stepping stone toward building a more robust and comprehensive strategic partnership.
