Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly ChairmanVuong Dinh Hue hosted receptions for ambassadors of Bulgaria and Hungary inHanoi on May 31.

At a meeting with Bulgarian Ambassador MarinelaPetkova, Hue reiterated Vietnam’s foreign policy of attaching importance to,consolidating and promoting friendship, multi-faceted and long-term cooperationwith traditional friends, including Bulgaria.

The Vietnamese NA will work to continuously enhance therelations between the two countries, their legislatures and peoples, hepledged.

Highlighting cooperation outcomes between the twocountries, the Vietnamese top legislator said two-way trade revenue in 2021doubled that recorded in the previous year.

The legislative ties have also been maintained overthe past years, he said, adding that the two sides have supported each other atregional and international parliamentary forums.

In reply, Ambassador Petkova emphasised that Bulgaria isone of the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam, and thetraditional friendship is thriving.

She suggested the two countries foster cooperationafter two years of COVID-19, saying Vietnam is Bulgaria’s partner in SoutheastAsia and Asia at large.

As a member of the European Union (EU), Bulgariawishes to expand collaboration with Vietnam – a member of the Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN), she said.

The diplomat agreed with Hue’s view that the twocountries should beef up their cooperation and friendship via Party, State,Government and NA channels, as well as people-to-people exchange.

She promised to make more contributions to strengtheningthe bilateral cooperation in economy, trade, investment, education, trainingand tourism, making it on par with the time-honoured friendship.

Hue said he hopes that the ambassador will continueto coordinate closely with Vietnamese agencies to take measures helping todeepen and advance the relationship, for the sake of the two peoples.

Receiving Hungarian Ambassador Ory Csaba, Huecommended the diplomat’s active contributions to the Vietnam-Hungary relationsover the past years.

He said Vietnam always treasures and hopesto forge its multi-faceted cooperation with Hungary – Vietnam’s first comprehensivepartner in Central and Eastern Europe.

He lauded the positive progress in the bilateral relationship,with high-level meetings and visits by leaders of the two countries. Notably,during the visit to Hungary by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in2018, the two sides upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive partnership,which demonstrates the leaders’ resolve to deepen the ties.

Csaba, for his part, said the cooperation agreementreached by the two legislatures has contributed to deepening the legislativerelations, adding that thematic seminars held within the framework of theagreement have proven effective.

In this regard, Hue said such thematic seminars haveoffered opportunities for parliamentarians of the two countries to exchange experiencein lawmaking, and the agreement should be further rolled out.

The two sides compared notes on legislativecooperation in culture, health care and education, among others.

Hue urged the ambassador to continue its close coordinationwith Vietnamese ministries and agencies to deepen the comprehensivepartnership./.