During an official state visit to Ireland from October 1-3 at the invitation of President Michael Higgins, General Secretary, aand President To Lam they held talks with the Irish President on the morning of October 2 (local time) after the official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace. Both leaders co-chaired discussions between the high-level delegations of the two countries.

On this occasion, General Secretary and President To Lam announced that the Vietnamese government has decided to establish an Embassy of Vietnam in Ireland and is currently implementing this decision. Both leaders expressed confidence that this move would open a new phase of bilateral relations, benefiting both nations' citizens.

In terms of economic, trade, and investment cooperation, both leaders affirmed that this is a crucial and positively developing pillar, with bilateral trade turnover reaching 3.5 billion USD in 2024. They emphasized the need to effectively leverage the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), promote trade and investment connections, and support the business communities of both countries. The goal is to raise bilateral trade turnover to 5 billion USD by 2026, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

President Michael Higgins highlighted that Vietnam is Ireland's top trading partner and that there is significant potential for further cooperation. He acknowledged Vietnam's request to expedite the ratification process of the Vietnam-EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), which would broaden opportunities for business and investment collaboration between Vietnamese and Irish companies. He also expressed hope that Vietnam would facilitate the export of high-quality Irish agricultural and food products.

To strengthen mutual understanding and deepen ties between the two peoples, the leaders agreed to enhance people-to-people exchanges, as well as cooperation in culture, arts, tourism, and between localities.

Both sides also agreed to create favorable conditions for their expatriates living and working in each other's countries to contribute to economic and social development while serving as a bridge in fostering friendly relations.

During the talks, both parties also discussed regional security issues of shared concern, such as the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East. They called on all sides to protect civilians, engage in dialogue, and resolve conflicts through peaceful measures based on international law and the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter. The two countries also agreed to enhance cooperation in multilateral forums such as ASEAN-EU and the United Nations, in various fields including addressing global challenges, climate change, food security, and ensuring supply chains.

Both sides supported ASEAN's position on the South China Sea, emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, cooperation, and development in the region. They stressed the need to resolve disputes peacefully, by international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).