Hanoi (VNA) – The VietnameseNational Assembly (NA) always wants to consolidate and promote traditionalfriendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Hungary, NA Vice ChairmanPhung Quoc Hien said on September 30.

During his talks with Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian NA Jakab Istvan, Hiensaid his ongoing visit to Hungary is expected to contribute to enhancing thebilateral relationship.

Vietnam always keeps in mind the valuable and practical support and assistance ofthe Hungarian State and people for Vietnam’s past struggle for nationalliberation and reunification as well as its present cause of nationalconstruction, the legislator said.

In 2020, Vietnam and Hungary will join hands in celebrating the 70th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties with various cultural exchanges,tourism, trade and investment promotion activities in order to bring people ofthe two countries closer, according to Hien.

The NA Vice Chairman rejoiced at the fruitful development of the bilateralrelationship across spheres, as well as their mutual support at multilateralforums.

Hien used the occasion to thank Hungary for its support for Vietnam’s signingof the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam InvestmentProtection Agreement (EVIPA), and suggested the country promote the earlyratification of these deals, creating new momentum for economic, trade andinvestment links between Vietnam and the EU and Hungary in particular.

He also thanked Hungary for creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamesecommunity in the country to stabilise their lives and integrate into the hostsociety, considering them an important bridge helping to tighten thefriendship.

The legislator lauded the dynamic development of bilateral economic, trade andinvestment cooperation, with two-way trade in 2018 doubling that of theprevious year to 645.6 million USD.

The two sides should step up trade and investment promotion, support theirbusinesses and cooperate in such areas as education, health care,pharmaceutical industry, water resources management, environmental protection,agricultural production, processing industry and manufacturing engineering, Hiensuggested.

He appreciated Hungary for its provision of official development assistance(ODA) worth 440 million EUR to some projects in Vietnam as well as its 200scholarships to Vietnamese students each year.

Health care and medical equipment are also areas having potential forcooperation, he said, adding that Vietnam welcomes Hungary to supply and openmodern pharmaceutical plants in the country.

Regarding security, safety and freedom of navigation in the East Sea, the NAVice Chairman informed his host about tensions in the waters over the pasttime, with violations of Vietnam’s maritime sovereignty.

Vietnam is persistently pursuing a policy of settling peacefully disputes inline with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention onthe Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties inthe East Sea (DOC), towards building a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC),he said.

Vietnam applauded the attention and stance of Hungary and the EU on the EastSea issue and the regional security, and hopes for more support from Hungaryfor Vietnam’s just viewpoints and stance on this problem, he said.

Hien noted with pleasure the coordination and mutual support between the twoNAs at regional and international inter-parliamentary forums and their exchangeof delegations, especially high-level ones.

Lauding the effective and result-oriented cooperation between the twolegislatures over the past time, the NA Vice Chairman expressed his hope thatthe legislative ties will further develop in the time ahead through the signingof a cooperation framework.

He called on the two NAs to increase exchanges between parliamentarians’ groupsand young parliamentarians, coordinate in implementing collaboration agreementsand joint strategic projects, support exchanges between the Governments,localities, enterprises and people of the two countries, and promote mutuallybeneficial cooperation.

For his part, Istvan said Hungary admires Vietnam for is socio-economicachievements, saying thanks to the reform process, Vietnam has made outstandingperformance in growth and job creation.

The country has also rapidly grasp scientific and technological advances, hestressed.



Earlier, Hien paid a courtesy visit to Hungarian NA Speaker Kover Laszlo,during which he conveyed NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan’s invitation to thehost leader to visit Vietnam on the occasion of the 70th anniversaryof the bilateral diplomatic ties.

He touched upon economic and education cooperation between Vietnam and Hungary,relations between the NAs and people of the two countries, along with issuesregarding security, safety and freedom of navigation, and law observance,particularly the 1982 UNCLOS, in the East Sea.

Hungary considers Vietnam an important partner in Southeast Asia and wishes forcomprehensive and close cooperation with the country in such areas as economy,national defence and justice, Laszlo said, suggesting Vietnam facilitate theconstruction of a Hungarian culture and community centre in Hanoi.

Hungary keeps a close watch and supportsVietnam’s viewpoints on the peaceful settlement of disputes in the East Sea, hesaid.

During his stay in Hungary, Hien had a working session with leaders of theMinistry of Innovation and Technology to discuss the management of high-speedrailways in Vietnam.

He also met with Hungary’s Deputy Secretary for Transport Peter Toth, andrepresentatives of the Hungary-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group, and attendeda banquet hosted by Jakab Istvan.

The legislator and his entourage visited the Vietnamese community doingbusiness at the Sarga Bufe trade centre and worked with the Vietnamese Embassyin Hungary./.