NA Chairman Vương Đình Huệ (left) and Indian President Ram Nath Kovind at their meeting. — VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Tấn

NEW DELHI — National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ had a meeting with Indian President Ram Nath Kovind in New Delhi on December 19 during his official visit to India from December 15-19.

The Indian President warmly welcomed the visit of the Vietnamese top legislator to India on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership and the upcoming 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relationship.

Chairman Huệ congratulated India for its accomplishments in socio-economic and scientific-technological development as well as its efforts to contain COVID-19 and restore the economy. He reiterated Việt Nam’s consistent foreign policy of attaching importance to the time-honoured traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with India.

The two leaders shared the view that the bilateral ties have seen strong development across the fields, from politics-diplomacy, economics, culture to people-to-people exchange, and most recently the two countries have given each other timely and effective support in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

They agreed to maintain mutual visits and all-level contacts of the two states, governments, parliaments and through the Party and local channels. They also reached consensus on organising practical and meaningful activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations in 2022.

NA Chairman Huệ suggested that the two countries work closely together to implement well the plan of actions for 2021-2023 and the Joint Vision for Peace, Prosperity and People adopted in December 2020, so as to further promote their current fine relationship.

He also proposed strengthening cooperation in priority and potential aspects such as economics-trade-investment, defence-security, energy, science-technology, digital transformation, health care, education-training, culture, religion, tourism and people-to-people exchange.   

The two sides agreed to the need to have plans for boosting people-to-people exchanges, culture and tourism in the post-COVID-19 period.

They promised to continue coordinating and supporting each other at international and regional forums, while renewing their support of efforts to push the settlement of disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the sake of peace, cooperation, stability and development in the region and the world.

On the occasion, NA Chairman Huệ conveyed an invitation to visit Việt Nam from President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc to the Indian President.

The meeting with the Indian President is the last activity in the official visit to India of the NA Chairman and the NA delegation. — VNS