National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue holds virtual talks with his Hungarian counterpart László Kövér (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Hungary are looking tostep up bilateral partnership in multiple areas and the effective implementation of theEU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) during National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue’s official visit to Hungary from June 26 – 28.
Vietnam and Hungary established diplomatic relations onFebruary 3, 1950 and lifted their ties to comprehensive partnership on theoccasion of a visit by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to theEuropean nation in 2018.
The bilateral ties have seen considerable progress since then,with the two sides closely and effectively coordinating and supporting eachother at multilateral parliamentary forums.
Hungary has been very active in pushing for the ratificationof the EU-Vietnam FTA. It was also the first among EU member states to ratify theEU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).
The two-way trade totalled 1.1 billion USD last year withimproved balance of trade, despite impacts of COVID-19.
The Government of Hungary has donated 256,000 COVID-19vaccine doses and 100,000 rapid test kits to help Vietnam battle the pandemic.It has also transferred 400,000 vaccine doses to Vietnam under a non-profitmechanism.
The General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Nguyen Phu Trong (left), and Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán in November 2018. (Photo: VNA) Hungary has been the largest provider of scholarships forVietnamese students among EU nations. It is taking necessary steps toestablish a Hungarian cultural centre in Hanoi.
It has been committed to providing Vietnam with ODA loans worth440 million EUR for the implementation of a number of priority projects inVietnam, including the construction of a cancer hospital in the Mekong Deltacity of Can Tho which receives special attention from the Government andNational Assembly of Hungary.
Last July, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue held virtual talkswith his Hungarian counterpart László Köver to discuss ways to further boostthe bilateral relations between the two countries and two NAs in the comingtime.
The two parliaments have also maintained the exchange of high-ranking delegations, sharing of experience and exchanges between their committees and parliamentary friendship groups, along with close coordination at regional and international inter-parliamentary forums like AIPA, AIPA, IPU, APPF, ASEP or APF.
The Hungarian government donates to Vietnam 256,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines and 100,000 rapid antigen test kits to fight the pandemic (Photo: http://mattran.org.vn/) Chairman of the NA Committee for ExternalRelations Vu Hai Ha said the upcoming visit by NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue toHungary aims to strengthen the two countries’ comprehensive partnership andmaintain high-level delegation exchange.
The visit also demonstrates high political determination of each side to maintain and elevate their parliamentary cooperation, with a new cooperation agreement for the next period of time expected to be signed in replace of the old one inked in June 2008, to make it more relevant to the current status of the bilateral ties and the new situation, he said.
During the visit, the two countries also expect to bolster bilateral ties in the fields of economy, trade-investment, healthcare, culture,education-training; accelerate talks and signing of several agreements; and push for the adoption of a number of projects fundedby ODA from Hungary./.