Rome (VNA) – The Vietnamese National Assembly(NA) is delighted at the growth of Vietnam-Italy relations and hopes forstronger ties with the Italian parliament, NA Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hiensaid during his talks with Vice President of the Italian Senate Ignazio LaRussa in Rome on September 25.

Hien said the working visit by the Vietnamese NAdelegation aims to enhance the Vietnam-Italy strategic partnership andcooperation between their parliaments.

According to him, the two economies havesimilarities and are complementary, advantages for economic partnerships. ManyItalian businesses have invested in the Southeast Asian nation, mainly inmanufacturing.

The Vice Chairman welcomed Italy’s provision of100 million EUR (109.6 million USD) in official development assistance (ODA) forclimate change response and water resource management projects inVietnam. 

He also called on Italy to soon ratify the FreeTrade Agreement and the Investment Protection Agreement between Vietnam and theEuropean Union.

At the talks, Hien asked the two parliaments tocontinue supporting each other at multilateral forums and increase mutualvisits by parliamentary leaders, agencies and friendship groups.

He also voiced his hope that Italy will continuesupporting the peaceful settlement of disputes to ensure stability, security,safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea in line withinternational law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)and the Declaration on the Conduct (DOC) of Parties in the East Sea, andsupporting efforts to finalise a Code of Conduct (COC) in the waters.

For his part, Russa appreciated Vietnam’scooperation and attention to relations with Italy.

Italy wishes to strengthen the two countries’friendship and cooperation in politics, economy and culture, he said, addingthat they should also increase defence collaboration.

Vietnam and Italy have gained good cooperationoutcomes in industrial production, railway construction, culture and education,while bilateral connections in education are promising, the host official said.

At the Italian Senate, NA Vice Chairman Hien metwith head of the finance committee Alberto Bagnai, head of the public workscommittee Mauro Coltorti, and head of the agriculture committee GianpaoloVallardi.

The two sides discussed many issues of commonconcern like environmental protection taxes on oil and petrol; climate changeresponse; the investment, management and operation of public works; andcooperation in science – technology, education and agriculture.

Also on September 25, the Vietnamese NAdelegation received the Italy – Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group, visitedthe Vietnamese Embassy and met with representatives of the Vietnamese communityin Italy./.