Hanoi, Nov. 15 -- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will begin an overseas tour on November 16-24 with a stop in Kuwait, the first visit by a Vietnamese Government leader in 16 years and timed ahead of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties (January 10) next year.

Nearly five decades of robust friendship

Kuwait was the first Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member to establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam on January 10, 1976. Vietnam opened its embassy in Kuwait City in 2003, Kuwait reciprocated with an embassy in Hanoi and a Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City in 2007.

The two countries have maintained high-level visits and exchanges, meetings of the Inter-Governmental Committee, and deputy foreign ministerial level political consultati...