Hungarian Ambassador to Việt Nam Tibor Baloghdi. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The official visit to Việt Nam from May 27 - 29 by the Hungarian President Sulyok Tamas and his wife, at the invitation of Vietnamese State President Lương Cường, marks an important milestone in their bilateral relations, Hungarian Ambassador to Việt Nam Tibor Baloghdi said.

It reflects the Central European nation’s highest-level diplomatic commitment.

Talking to a Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reporter on the threshold of the visit, the diplomat highlighted the fruitful development of Hungary - Việt Nam diplomatic relations, stressing that this was built on a solid foundation of mutual respect, cooperation and long-lasting ties.

According to the ambassador, since the two countries established diplomatic ties on February 3, 1950, Hungary has always supported Việt Nam across fields and they have now become important partners.

Over the past decades, Hungary has played a vital role in training Việt Nam’s workforce, especially in the fields of engineering, medicine and natural sciences, with thousands of Vietnamese students having studied in the European nation.

Two-way trade reached US$1 billion, with a significant growth rate of 17 per cent over the past year. Many Hungarian businesses have been expanding their presence in Việt Nam in the fields of pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, food, agriculture and in the defence industry.

Regarding key milestones in bilateral cooperation, Baloghdi highlighted the establishment of the Comprehensive Partnership in 2018 as a significant step forward, reflecting both sides’ commitment to strengthening multi-faceted cooperation, from trade and investment to education, healthcare, science and technology.

Following the upgrade of the relations, bilateral trade has grown steadily, making Hungary one of Việt Nam’s key partners in Central Europe. The two sides continue to benefit from this effective partnership.

The diplomat recalled Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính’s visit to Hungary in January 2024, saying that it gave fresh momentum to the bilateral ties, reaffirming the commitment to boosting economic, political and cultural cooperation between the two nations, with several important agreements signed.

The visit to Việt Nam by Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto in March this year contributed to further enhancing the effectiveness of comprehensive cooperation between the two nations, he noted.

The diplomat also commented on upcoming cooperation programmes between Việt Nam and Hungary, particularly in the areas of economy, trade, education - training and climate change responses.

The deep historical ties between the two countries' people remained a solid foundation for the bilateral relations, he stressed, suggesting stepping up cultural and educational exchange activities to further strengthen this relationship.

Hungary remained committed to offering scholarships to Vietnamese students under the Stipendium Hungaricum programme, helping attract young talents from Việt Nam, he said.

He added that beyond education, promoting tourism and cultural programmes was also essential, and that encouraging direct exchanges between artists, writers, and scholars would help deepen mutual understanding.

The Hungarian Embassy also pledged to organise cultural weeks, film screenings and exhibitions to showcase Hungary’s rich cultural heritage to the Vietnamese public, contributing to bridging the cultural gap between the two countries, he noted, stressing the opportunity for future cooperation between the two sides in training and transferring civilian nuclear technology.

For future cooperation programmes with Việt Nam to support the Southeast Asian nation in realising its development goals, Baloghdi said Hungary highly valued Việt Nam’s commitment to achieving development goals through knowledge-based growth and economic advancement, expressing his belief that this approach would help increase Việt Nam’s global competitiveness and improve the quality of life for its people.

With its strengths in science and technology, Hungary sees great potential for cooperation with Việt Nam in the areas of hi-tech agriculture, digital transformation, water resource management, medical technology and AI, according to the ambassador. He affirmed that the Central European nation would be ready to support Việt Nam through joint research and development projects, as well as through technology transfer programmes and partnerships in education and training, including scholarships and academic exchanges.

In addition, Hungary aimed to strengthen cooperation with Việt Nam in developing the private economic sector, helping promote innovation and supporting Việt Nam in its transition toward a high-value knowledge-based economy, the ambassador added. VNA/VNS