State President Lương Cường and his spouse chaired a welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace on May 28 morning for Hungarian President Sulyok Tamas and his spouse, who are on an official visit to Việt Nam. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

HÀ NỘI — State President Lương Cường and his spouse hosted a welcome ceremony in Hà Nội on Wednesday for Hungarian President Sulyok Tamas and his spouse, who are on an official visit to Việt Nam from May 27 to 29.

Children from Hà Nội waved the national flags of both countries to welcome President Sulyok Tamas, his spouse, and the Hungarian high-level delegation.

Amid ceremonial music, the two leaders walked to a honour platform as the national anthems of Việt Nam and Hungary were played by a military band. They then reviewed the Guard of Honour of the Việt Nam People’s Army.

Following the welcome ceremony, the two leaders held talks to review recent cooperation outcomes and set directions for future collaboration.

This marks the first visit to Việt Nam by a Hungarian head of state in 11 years and takes place as the two countries are celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties (February 3, 1950 – 2025). Over the past 75 years, Việt Nam and Hungary have enjoyed a flourishing relationship across various fields, including education and training, legal and judicial cooperation, culture, sports, and people-to-people exchanges.

Việt Nam and Hungary officially established diplomatic relations on February 3, 1950. Since then, both nations have stood side by side through times of war and peace, offering mutual support in nation-building efforts. The bilateral friendship and cooperation have continued to strengthen in traditional areas such as education, law and justice, and cultural exchange.

Hungary regards Việt Nam as a key partner in Southeast Asia. In September 2018, the two countries elevated their ties to a comprehensive partnership. In recent years, political and diplomatic relations have grown deeper, on the basis of mutual trust and understanding, providing a solid foundation for expanding cooperation. Việt Nam and Hungary also maintain close and effective cooperation and offer mutual support at multilateral forums, particularly at the United Nations and within the framework of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).

State President Lương Cường and Hungarian counterpart Sulyok Tamas review the guards of honour. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

Political trust remains the cornerstone for fostering stronger economic and trade ties. Hungary played an active role in promoting the approval of the EU–Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and was the first EU member to ratify the EU–Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). Leveraging the advantages of EVFTA, bilateral trade has seen impressive growth. The two countries aim to boost two-way trade by 10 per cent annually, capitalising on the opportunities provided by the agreement.

Education and training have long been a pillar of bilateral cooperation. Hungary has helped train more than 4,000 PhDs, masters, and engineers, many of have hold key positions in Việt Nam. Both sides continue to strengthen collaboration in traditional areas, such as culture, sports, tourism, labour, science and technology, environment, agriculture, and water management, while expanding into new fields including the circular economy, innovation, green finance, renewable energy, and digital transformation.

State President Lương Cường and Hungarian counterpart Sulyok Tamas and their spouses are welcomed by Hà Nội's students. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

The official visit by President Tamas and his spouse underscores Hungary’s appreciation of Vietnam’s growing regional and international stature and reflects the shared desire to further advance the Vietnam–Hungary Comprehensive Partnership.

The visit is expected to deepen the two countries' traditional ties while opening new avenues for cooperation in renewable energy, nuclear energy, labour, information and communication technology, digital transition, and green transformation. — VNA/VNS

A view of the welcome ceremony for Hungarian President Sulyok Tamas at the Presidential Palace in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

State President Lương Cường and Hungarian President Sulyok Tamas with their spouses. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh