Following his official bilateral engagements in the French Republic, at 7:35 p.m. local time on June 11 (12:35 a.m. on June 12, Hanoi time), the aircraft carrying Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse, and the high-level Vietnamese delegation landed at Arlanda International Airport in Stockholm, marking the beginning of his official visit to the Kingdom of Sweden from June 12–14 at the invitation of Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
Welcoming Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his entourage at the airport were representatives of the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnamese Ambassador to Sweden Tran Van Tuan, officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy, and members of the Vietnamese community in Sweden.
This is the first visit by a Vietnamese Prime Minister to Sweden in six years, aimed at deepening the bilateral relationship between Vietnam and Sweden — one of Europe’s key partners with significant global influence.
During the visit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is scheduled to hold high-level meetings with members of the Swedish Royal Family, the Prime Minister, and the Speaker of the Parliament. He will also meet with long-time Swedish friends of Vietnam, chair the Vietnam–Sweden Economic Forum, and hold working sessions with several major Swedish corporations. Additionally, the Prime Minister will visit and deliver a policy speech at one of Sweden’s leading universities.
Sweden was the first Western country to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam during the country’s struggle for national independence and reunification. It also hosted one of the strongest and earliest Western movements in support of Vietnam’s resistance against the U.S. war.
In the period of national reconstruction and development, Sweden continued to provide valuable material and moral support to Vietnam. Numerous key infrastructure and public service projects funded by Sweden have long stood as enduring symbols of the close friendship between the two nations.
Despite this strong foundation, recent years have seen modest levels of cooperation between Vietnam and Sweden, which have yet to match the full potential and aspirations of both sides.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s current visit is expected to serve as a catalyst for renewed momentum and breakthroughs, helping elevate the Vietnam–Sweden relationship to a more substantive and effective level — especially in politics, diplomacy, and economic cooperation. Particular emphasis is placed on fields where Sweden holds global strengths and Vietnam has growing needs: science, technology, innovation, information technology, environment, climate change mitigation, and sustainable energy.