Over the past 40 years, bilateralties have been accelerated with coordination at regional and internationalinter-parliamentary forums, especially the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Vietnam welcomed leaders of the Swedishparliament within a cooperation project in which the Swedish legislatorssupported Vietnam’s National Assembly from 1997-2007.
Sweden’s investment in Vietnamhas also increased, with 52 projects worth 92.7 million USD in 2016, ranking43th out of 115 countries and territories investing in Vietnam.
Sweden is also Vietnam’s largest non-refundableaid provider in northwestern Europe, with total aid of 3.5 billion USD, mostlyin health care, economic reform, institution building, administrative reform,legislation, human resources development, environment and climate changeresponse.
The country stopped providingbilateral development assistance to Vietnam in 2013, turning relations with theSoutheast Asian country to a win-win partnership.
Along with cooperation in cultureand communications, the two sides have enjoyed fruitful education and trainingties.
The number of Swedish tourists toVietnam in 2016 reached more than 37,600, a rise of 17 percent over theprevious year.
In the 1970s, Sweden helpedVietnam to build Bai Bang paper factory, one of the largest facilities inVietnam. The “forest, tree and people” programme supported by Sweden in the1980s helped create a massive material area and contributed to boostingsocio-economic growth in five northern mountainous provinces.
During Vietnam’s reform, Sweden’sassistance switched from technical support to capacity building and policyimplementation.
Meanwhile, Vietnam and Hungary establisheddiplomatic ties on February 3, 1950, since then Vietnam has received supportfrom the State and people of Hungary.
Legislative collaboration betweenthe two countries has grown positively. Hungarian NA Speaker Kover Laszlovisited Vietnam in November 2015, while Deputy Speaker Gergely Gulyas touredVietnam in January 2017. Vietnam’s NA leader Nguyen Phu Trong visited Hungaryin 2008.
By the end of 2016, Hungary had15 projects in Vietnam with capital of 50.66 million USD, ranking 55th among 105 countries and territories investing in Vietnam.
Most of Vietnam’s exports to Hungaryare apparel, footwear, computers, electronic products and parts, transportationvehicles and spare parts, while importing pharmaceuticals, machineries, spareparts, chemicals and animal feed.
Collaboration in culture,tourism, education, health care and environmental science have been fostered.The two countries have also held regular Vietnam-Hungary Culture Weeks tostrengthen mutual understanding.
Vietnam and the Czech Republichave also been partners since 1950. The two parliaments have seen growing ties withhigh-ranking delegation exchanges, including Vietnam visits of the CzechParliament’s Chamber of Deputies Speaker Lubomir Zaoralek in 2006, DeputySepaker Vojtech Filip in 2008 and Deputy Speaker of the Upper House Milan Stechin 2015.
NA Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong alsovisited the Czech Republic in 2009, while NA Vice Chairmen Uong Chu Luu andHuynh Ngoc Son visited the country in 2011 and 2014, respectively.
Since 1999, the Czech Governmenthas provide scholarships to Vietnamese students and the two sides arediscussing a new agreement in education.
Additionally, labour partnershiphas recovered after years of interruption. On July 3, 2013, the Czech Republicrecognised Czech nationals with Vietnamese origin as an ethnic minority group.The Vietnamese community in the country counts 60,000 people.
Last year, two-way trade reached249 million USD . The Czech Republic has 43 projects in Vietnam with totalinvestment of 89.9 million USD, ranking 45th out of 116 foreigninvestors in Vietnam.-VNA