State President of Vietnam Luong Cuong hosted a welcome ceremony for Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Hanoi on Friday morning, marking a significant moment in bilateral relations between the two nations.

The ceremony, held at the Presidential Palace, featured full military honors and a warm welcome by Vietnamese children waving the national flags of both countries. 

Following the national anthems, the two leaders reviewed the honor guard before heading into official talks.

This marks the first time Luong Cuong and Lula da Silva have met as heads of state.

It is, however, President Lula da Silva’s second visit to Vietnam after the first trip in 2008, making him the only top Brazilian leader to visit the Southeast Asian country since diplomatic relations were established in 1989.

President Lula da Silva, who is visiting Vietnam from Thursday to Saturday, is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the heads of Brazil’s Senate and Chamber of Deputies, along with 11 cabinet ministers -- representing more than one-third of the Brazilian government’s ministerial leadership.

The large delegation highlights Brazil’s strong commitment to strengthening ties with Vietnam.

The visit is also the first state-level trip to Vietnam by a foreign head of state in 2025 and comes shortly after both countries elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership in November 2024.

Brazil is now Vietnam’s largest Latin American trade partner, while the Southeast Asian country holds significant importance in the region for Brazil, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

Bilateral trade has advanced over the years, rising to US$7.98 billion in 2024 from $1.53 billion in 2011, with ambitious targets to reach $10 billion by 2025 and $15 billion by 2030.

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