NA Vice Chairman Phùng Quốc Hiển (left) presents a souvenir to Hungarian NA Jakab Istvan during his visit to Hungary. — VNA/VNS Photo Phạm Thắng

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) wants to enhance ties between Việt Nam and Hungary, NA Vice Chairman Phùng Quốc Hiển said on Monday.
During his talks with Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian NA Jakab Istvan, Hiển said his ongoing visit to Hungary is expected to enhance the bilateral relationship.
Việt Nam always remembers the support from the Hungarian state and people during Việt Nam’s past struggle for national liberation and reunification as well as its present cause of national construction, the legislator said.
In 2020, Việt Nam and Hungary will celebrate the 70th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties with various cultural exchanges, tourism, trade and investment promotion activities to bring people of the two countries closer, according to Hiển.
The NA Vice Chairman rejoiced at the development of the bilateral relationship, as well as their mutual support at multilateral forums.
Hiển used the occasion to thank Hungary for its support for Việt Nam’s signing of the EU-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), and suggested the country promote the early ratification of these deals.
He also thanked Hungary for creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in the country to integrate into the host society, considering them an important bridge helping to tighten the friendship.
The legislator lauded the development of bilateral economic, trade and investment co-operation, with two-way trade in 2018 doubling that of the previous year to US$645.6 million.
The two sides should step up trade and investment promotion, support their businesses and co-operate in education, health care, pharmaceutical industry, water resources management, environmental protection, agricultural production, processing industry and manufacturing-engineering, Hiển suggested.
He appreciated Hungary for providing official development assistance (ODA) worth 440 million euros to projects in Việt Nam as well as its 200 scholarships to Vietnamese students each year.
Health care and medical equipment are also areas with potential for co-operation, he said, adding that Việt Nam welcomes Hungary to supply and open pharmaceutical plants in the country.
Regarding security, safety and freedom of navigation in the East Sea (internationally known as South China Sea), the NA Vice Chairman informed his host about tensions in the waters in recent times and the violations of Việt Nam’s maritime sovereignty.
Việt Nam is pursuing a policy of settling peacefully disputes in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), towards building a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), he said.
Việt Nam applauded the attention and stance of Hungary and the EU on the East Sea issue and regional security, and hopes for more support from Hungary for Việt Nam’s just viewpoints and stance on this matter, he said.
He called on the two NAs to increase exchanges between parliamentarians’ groups and young parliamentarians, co-ordinate in implementing collaboration agreements and joint strategic projects, support exchanges between the governments, localities, enterprises and people of the two countries, and promote mutually beneficial co-operation.
Istvan said Hungary admires Việt Nam for is socio-economic achievements, saying thanks to reforms, Việt Nam has made outstanding performance in growth and job creation.
The country has also rapidly grasped scientific and technological advances, he stressed.
Earlier, Hiển visited Hungarian NA Speaker Kover Laszlo, during which he conveyed NA Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân’s invitation to the host leader to visit Việt Nam on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of bilateral ties.
During his stay in Hungary, Hiển had a working session with leaders of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology to discuss high-speed railways in Việt Nam.
He also met with Hungary’s Deputy Secretary for Transport Peter Toth, and representatives of the Hungary-Việt Nam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group, and attended a banquet hosted by Istvan.
The legislator and his entourage visited the Vietnamese community doing business at the Sarga Bufe trade centre and worked with the Vietnamese Embassy in Hungary. — VNS