Bhutan’s King to make first state visit to Vietnam

Huy Hoang

Aug 15, 2025 / 02:58 PM

The visit marks the highest-level Bhutanese delegation to Vietnam since diplomatic relations were established in 2012.

THE HANOI TIMES — Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen will pay a state visit to Vietnam from August 18 to 22, at the invitation of President Luong Cuong and the First Lady.

This will be the King’s first visit to Vietnam since his accession to the throne in 2008.

Hình ảnh 1 — King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The two countries maintain friendly relations, though bilateral trade remains modest at around $20,000 annually, with Vietnam mainly exporting wood products, machinery, and spare parts. Vietnam currently has two investment projects in Bhutan with a total registered capital of $937,000.

Tourism, particularly Buddhist and spiritual tourism, is seen as a promising area of cooperation.

Vietjet Air has organized dedicated flights to Bhutan, and from 2025, Bhutan Airlines plans to operate a direct Ho Chi Minh City–Bhutan route with 10 fixed round-trip flights during peak seasons.

Bhutan also seeks to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in religion, education, human resource exchange, and people-to-people ties at regional forums, including the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

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