NA Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn met with Chairwoman of the Italy – Việt Nam Parliamentary Friendship Group Chiara Gribaudo in Rome. — VNA/VNS Photo

ROME — Chairman of the National Assembly Trần Thanh Mẫn met with Chairwoman of the Italy – Việt Nam Parliamentary Friendship Group Chiara Gribaudo in Rome on Tuesday (local time) during his official visit to Italy.

Welcoming the top Vietnamese legislator and a high-level delegation of Việt Nam to Italy, Gribaudo highly valued the growing cooperation between the two parliaments, and expressed her hope that the Italy – Việt Nam Parliamentary Friendship Group will soon organise a visit to Việt Nam to further strengthen bilateral ties.

She took the occasion to congratulate Mẫn on being elected Chairman of the 16th National Assembly of Việt Nam.

Gribaudo noted that Italy was among the first countries to ratify the EU–Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). She emphasised that in the current global context, enhancing parliamentary cooperation and people-to-people exchanges plays an important role in promoting prosperity and peace in each country and across regions. Describing Việt Nam as a beautiful country with a rich historical tradition, she stressed the need to further consolidate bilateral ties based on the longstanding friendship between the two nations and the spirit of cooperation for development.

Chairman Mẫn expressed his pleasure at meeting Gribaudo and appreciated the active contributions of the Italy – Việt Nam Parliamentary Friendship Group in promoting parliamentary cooperation, strengthening political trust, and expanding traditional friendship and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

He noted that after more than 50 years of diplomatic relations and over a decade of the Strategic Partnership, Việt Nam – Italy ties have continued to develop positively with significant achievements. Political trust has been strengthened, while economic, trade and investment cooperation has expanded, and cultural exchanges have received increasing attention.

According to the NA Chairman, two-way trade between the two countries reached about US$7.3 billion in 2025, and Italian investors have come to Việt Nam with a total registered capital of more than $633 million. However, he stressed that the potential for cooperation remains substantial. Việt Nam has strong manufacturing capabilities, a population of over 100 million and a dynamic market, while Italy has advantages in manufacturing industries, high technology, textiles and garments, leather and footwear, digital transformation and green transition.

He suggested that both sides enhance cooperation in areas where they are strong, and further promote the exchange of delegations at all levels between parliamentary committees, young parliamentarians, female parliamentarians and friendship groups to share information and legislative experience.

Chairman Mẫn said his ongoing visit aims to strengthen cooperation in economic, trade, investment, defence-security, cultural and educational fields, contributing to deepening the Strategic Partnership and elevating bilateral relations to a new level.

Agreeing with Gribaudo’s proposal to organise a visit by the Italy–Việt Nam Parliamentary Friendship Group to Việt Nam, he suggested that both sides coordinate to arrange a suitable schedule for the trip. — VNA/VNS