Chairman of the National Assembly Vương Đình Huệ meets Speaker of the Indian Lower House Om Birla in Hà Nội on Tuesday as the Indian house leader begins his three-day visit to Việt Nam. VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

HÀ NỘI — Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Vương Đình Huệ met with Speaker of the Indian Lower House Om Birla on Tuesday as the Indian official began his three-day visit to Việt Nam.

The meeting took place at the NA building in Hà Nội with the participation of high-level delegations from the two countries.

NA chair Huệ said he highly appreciated the visit of Birla and the Indian Parliament delegation, especially when India and Việt Nam are preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relation.

He was pleased to see that the Việt Nam-India comprehensive strategic partnership is growing well in all fields and despite the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries have still maintained and strengthened important cooperation mechanisms, and coordinated to implement the 2021-23 Action Programme to take their bilateral relationship to a higher, more effective level.

The phone conversation on April 15 between Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was especially an important high-level connection, which demonstrated strong political trust between the two countries.

This visit by Birla would also be an important milestone to strengthen this connection, Huệ said.

Speaker of the Indian Lower House Om Birla thanked the Vietnamese NA chair for his warm welcome.

Reminding Huệ of his official visit to India in December 2021, Birla emphasised that the visit was of great significance in strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership.

They discussed strengthening National Assembly cooperation in many areas such as social security, solving issues related to people, and contributing more to promoting cooperation between the two countries, the Indian official said.

NA chair Huệ shared that through the 2021 visit, the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation had the opportunity to understand the close connections the Indian leaders had with the Vietnamese people and President Hồ Chí Minh.

The two countries had a long-standing traditional relationship, which had been constantly cultivated by generations of leaders and people, he said.

Huệ added that he believed strengthening cooperation between the two legislative bodies would improve the comprehensive strategic partnership, which would help to ensure peace, stability, cooperation and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world.

The two leaders also discussed major plans for their respective countries.

India aimed to become a world leader in many industries and fields in 2047, at the 100th anniversary of the country’s Independence Day, Birla said. He congratulated Việt Nam on its goal of becoming a developed, high-income country by 2045.

Noting that the two countries have many similar development goals, Birla suggested they boost cooperation in trade, investment, science and technology, services, and digital transformation, while creating more business connections, and turn the information technology and service industries into a strategic cooperation area.

Meeting President, Prime Minister

Later the same day, the Indian house leader also paid courtesy visits to President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc and Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính. 

During his meeting with President Phúc at the Presidential Palace, Birla expressed his deep impression of the President’s important contributions to promoting bilateral relations with Việt Nam.

He expressed his hopes that the two countries would expand cooperation in trade, investment, education, training, security and defence. He also suggested more cultural exchanges and resume the airline connectivity initiative.

India wished to continue to support Việt Nam in restoring the Mỹ Sơn World Cultural Heritage, the Indian official added.

President Phúc suggested the two countries continue to maintain high-level collaboration and cooperation in cyber security, intelligence, counter-terrorism, transnational crime, and non-traditional security issues.

He also asked India to continue supporting Indian businesses to invest in Việt Nam.

President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has a meeting with Indian Lower House Om Birla at the President Palace in Hà Nội. VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

Meanwhile, at his meeting with Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính later the same day, Birla expressed his hopes to further promote trade and economic exchanges, striving to bring the bilateral trade turnover to US$15 billion.

PM Chính stressed that Việt Nam always supported Indian businesses to expand investment in the country, in pharmaceuticals, infrastructure development, processing and manufacturing technology, information technology, biotechnology and renewable energy.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính meets with the Indian house leader. VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

The two leaders also discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern, including the South China Sea (known as the East Sea in Việt Nam). They both agreed on the importance of settling disputes by peaceful means in line with international laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

They also called for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), towards an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC). VNS