Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam always attaches importance to the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation and wants to strengthen the relations with with Poland – a priority partner of Vietnam in Central Europe, a Vietnamese official has said.

Chairwoman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Judicial Affairs and President of the Vietnam – Poland Friendship Parliamentarians' Group Le Thi Nga made the statement while hosting a reception in Hanoi on December 12 for visiting Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski.

The Vietnamese people always bear in mind and highly appreciate the valuable support that the Polish people have given to the country during its struggle for national independence and reunification in the past, as well as in its current process of national construction and development, she said, highlighting the political – diplomatic ties between the two countries are developing robustly while economic – trade collaboration have been maintained.

She expressed her confidence that the exchange of delegations, particularly those at high level, help the two countries expand their cooperation in traditional areas while seeking collaboration in new fields. She suggested Bartoszewski and the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs support enhanced exchanges via the Party, Government and National Assembly channels and people-to-people exchange so as to strengthen political trust and mutual understanding.

Nga also recommended the two sides to continue close coordination and support for each other at international forums and organisations.

Regarding economic – trade – investment cooperation, the two countries have maintained growth momentum. In the first nine months of 2024, bilateral trade turnover reached over 2.5 billion USD, with Poland emerging as Vietnam's top trading partner in Central and Eastern Europe while Vietnam becoming Poland's most important trading partner in Southeast Asia. Particularly, Poland had advocated the signing of the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Nga took this occasion to ask both sides to proactively carry out the consultation mechanism for bilateral economic cooperation in order to further promote bilateral economic, trade, and investment ties. She also urged Poland to promptly ratify the EU – Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and support efforts to have the European Commission’s “yellow card” lifted on Vietnamese seafood.

The Polish official, for his part, affirmed that he will encourage ministries, sectors and branches to step up cooperation with the Vietnamese side in multiple areas.

He expected that a direct air route between the two countries will be launched to facilitate people-to-people exchanges and cooperation./.