Việt Nam, Hungary to further promote trade, politics, and people-to-people exchanges: Leaders

National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ (left) had a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Tuesday in Budapest. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

BUDAPEST — Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ said his visit to Hungary is an opportunity to deepen and promote the comprehensive partnership between Việt Nam and Hungary, especially parliamentary ties.

The top Vietnamese legislator made the remarks as he met Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Tuesday in Budapest, expressing his delight at the visit, and the chance to meet close friends of Việt Nam.

Huệ said the visit would open up new cooperation areas between the two countries in multilateral or regional forums.

The Vietnamese and Hungarian leaders concurred that the two countries had enjoyed a close-knit, time-tested, loyal relationship, a valuable asset that not many countries have had, so all present and future leaderships and peoples of the two countries should ensure its continuing growth.

The two sides said the relations had been developing in the right direction on all fronts in recent times, especially after the visit by Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng to Hungary in 2018.

The Vietnamese top legislator thanked Hungary for having prioritised Official Development Aid (ODA) for Việt Nam as well as support in education and training, exemplified by its continued provision of scholarships for Vietnamese students.

He also extended gratitude towards the Hungarian parliament and Government for having actively supported and ratified the Europe-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), and for being the first to ratify the Europe-Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement. 

Discussing concrete measures to promote ties, the two leaders agreed to strengthen exchanges via Party-to-Party channels, parliamentary, Government, and people-to-people exchanges.

Huệ and Orban also agreed on the commitment to develop two-way trade in a “balanced manner,” create favourable conditions for each other’s products and services to access the other market, encourage businesses of the two countries to invest in the other country.

At the meeting, the two leaders also shared the stance on handling international disputes and conflicts via peaceful measures in line with international laws.

Chairman Huệ requested Hungary to back Việt Nam and ASEAN’s stances on regional security issues. — VNS