Hanoi (VNA) – National AssemblyChairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan hosted a reception in Hanoi on May 10 for IndianVice President Venkaiah Naidu, who is also Chairman of the Rajya Sabha - theupper house of the Parliament of India.

Ngan welcomed Naidu’s official visit to Vietnamand attendance at the United Nations Day of Vesak 2019, believing that the tripwould help reinforce and strengthen political trust and solidarity between theStates and people of Vietnam and India.

The top legislator expressed her satisfactionat the growing relations between Vietnam and India over the past time,especially after the two countries’ leaders agreed to elevate bilateral ties tothe level of comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016.

Agreeing with Ngan’s opinions, Naidu saidVietnam and India have always supported each other at international forums and hepledged to continue close coordination and mutual assistance at multilateralforums, especially within the framework of the United Nations (UN).

He promised to back each other’s efforts tobecome a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council with Vietnam runningfor the 2020-2021 tenure and India for the 2021-2022 tenure.

Since 2016, the Vietnamese and Indianparliaments have in turn established friendship parliamentary groups in therespective countries, he added.
Ngan said the relations between Vietnamese andIndian legislative bodies have been strengthened over the past years, makingsignificant contributions to the enhancement of ties between two nations.

She noted with pleasure that many leaders of foreigncountries, including India, have been interested in and agreed to sendhigh-ranking delegations to the Vesak Day 2019 in Vietnam, illustrating theirsupport for the host country.

The NA Chairwoman asked Naidu to promote theexchange of high-level visits between the two countries’ leaders through theParty, State, National Assembly and Government channels.

She suggested boosting people-to-peopleexchanges and cooperation between ministries, sectors, localities andbusinesses while expanding joint investment projects and upholding the role offriendship associations and friendship parliamentary groups in each country.

The two sides should increase consultations andsharing of information in addition to providing mutual support at multilateralforums and jointly making active contributions to the cooperation mechanisms ofthe ASEAN-India, the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN Regional Forum, the Asia-EuropeMeeting (ASEM), and the South-South Cooperation, along with the UN, regionaland sub-regional cooperation mechanisms.

At the meeting, the two leaders exchanged viewson some issues of mutual concern such as the settlement of disputes in the EastSea through peaceful measures and in the spirit of respecting internationallaw, especially the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.-VNA