HÀ NỘI — National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân and her Mongolian counterpart Miyegombo Enkhbold have agreed to promote bilateral exchanges and cooperation in politics and security-defence, towards further deepening bilateral ties. 

The top legislators of Việt Nam and Mongolia held talks in Hà Nội on Monday, following a grand welcome ceremony for Miyegombo Enkhbold and a high-level delegation of the Mongolian parliament, who are in Hà Nội for an official visit from January 20-23. 

The two legislative leaders stressed the need to maintain mutual visits and meetings between the two countries’ senior leaders, saying that these activities are necessary to define major directions for pushing forward the friendship and cooperation between Việt Nam and Mongolia. 

The two sides pledged to effectively implement agreements signed in the fields of diplomacy and security-defence; increase dialogues, information and experience sharing at all levels; collaborate in fighting crimes; enhance partnership in defence industry, logistics and military medicine; and accelerate negotiations of agreements on criminal extradition and the transfer of convicted persons. 

Speaking highly of Mongolia’s decision to allow Vietnamese officers to participate in the Khaan Quest’ international peacekeeping exercise, Ngân affirmed Việt Nam was willing to continue sending officers to the exercise while receiving Mongolian officers to Việt Nam to learn the Vietnamese language. 

She suggested the two sides maintain political consultation meetings between their Ministries of Foreign Affairs in 2018. 

The two legislators agreed that Việt Nam and Mongolia should bolster their economic and trade connection. They pledged to urge their ministries, sectors and localities to implement agreements and common perceptions reached by the two countries’ leaders, and outcomes of the 16th session of their inter-governmental committee. 

The two sides will encourage and make it easier for their enterprises and investors to invest and do business in each other’s markets. 

The chairman of the Mongolian parliament said the two sides need to enhance export to each other’s markets, as well as promoting bonds in education, tourism, health care, and people-to-people exchange. 

Mongolia wishes to learn from Việt Nam’s experience in investment attraction policy, export, climate change adaptation, and traditional medicine, he said, adding that the two counties should consider setting up a connection in customs and inspection. 

NA Chairwoman Ngân affirmed Việt Nam is willing to share experience in building and joining a free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), and asked the Mongolian side to consider receiving Vietnamese labourers to work in Mongolia. 

She stated that Việt Nam always attaches importance to developing win-win cooperation with Mongolia, and that the country will continue to support Mongolia becoming a member of the APEC, as well as serving as a bridge to promote connections between Mongolia and other ASEAN member nations. 

Discussing regional and international issues of common concern, the two parliamentary leaders agreed that the two sides will effectively coordinate at multilateral forums, and work closer to supervise the implementation of agreements signed by the Governments, ministries and sectors of the two countries. 

The Mongolian guest said Việt Nam is an important partner of his country in Southeast Asia, noting that Mongolia backs Việt Nam’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council in the 2020-21 term. 

He also said his country supports the settlement of disputes in the East Sea by peaceful means, in line with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1982. 

After the talks, the two parliamentary leaders signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the two legislatures. They also witnessed the signing of an MoU on cooperation between Việt Nam’s Hòa Bình Province and TUV province of Mongolia. — VNS