Moscow (VNA) – Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Tran Thanh Man and Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Victorovich Volodin co-chaired the third session of the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee between the Vietnamese NA and the State Duma in Moscow on September 9.

In his opening remarks, Volodin said the two countries boast sound and long-standing relations, and the meeting aimed to discuss measures to develop the bilateral ties for the sake of the people of both nations.

In the Vietnam - Russia ties, he noted, cooperation between the two parliaments plays an extremely important role and has been unceasingly consolidated and developing. The two parliaments have created legal frameworks for facilitating connections in such fields as energy, transport, agriculture, banking, and youth exchanges, which have recorded good results.

He expressed his hope that on the basis of the Vietnam - Russia comprehensive strategic partnership, the two countries will enhance cooperation in new directions and themes to develop more dynamic relations.

Bilateral trade has been on the rise. Tourism cooperation has harvested many positive results, with many Russians choosing Vietnam as their frequent travel destinations. At the second session of the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee in 2023, the two sides mentioned the resumption of a direct air route, which was carried out earlier this year. This has helped the number of tourists to each other’s countries increase sharply, according to Volodin.

He held that the committee’s third session was highly necessary for resolving many issues as well as reaching the targets for cooperation in trade, finance, health care, agriculture, science - technology, culture, and tourism, thereby contributing to the Vietnam - Russia comprehensive strategic partnership.

With the foundation built up over years, Volodin believed relations between the two parliaments will grow further to create a solid cornerstone for the two countries’ ties and devise solutions to the issues of common concern for the sake of each country’s people.

For his part, Man said that the establishment of the Vietnam - Russia Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee in 2018 marked a new development step in the two countries’ inter-parliamentary cooperation. The committee has contributed to strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam - Russia, and deepening their cooperation in socio-economy, defence and security.

At the session, in addition to traditional areas, the two sides discussed cooperation in promising fields such as agricultural product export, air transport, digital economy, cyberspace management, intellectual property, user data protection, information technology, digitalisation of public administration, multimedia communications, intellectual sports, digital education, and clean energy.

The top Vietnamese legislator informed that on September 11-12, the 25th session of the Vietnam - Russia Intergovernmental Committee on cooperation in the fields of economy-trade and science-technology will take place. At the event, the two governments are expected to discuss difficulties and obstacles that need to be removed to boost bilateral cooperation in the coming time.

As 2025 will mark the 75th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations, the two countries will hold many important events including the 80th National Day of Vietnam, and Russia’s 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

The NA Chairman emphasised that those major events require the two sides to increase the exchange of delegations at all levels, deepening relations between their Parties, States, NAs and political and social organisations, and especially people-to-people exchange.

At the meeting, Deputy PM Tran Hong Ha, Chairman of the Vietnam Subcommittee of the Vietnam - Russia Intergovernmental Committee, delivered a report on bilateral cooperation situation.

Delegates exchanged opinions and experience in legislative activities to promote bilateral cooperation, especially in the fields of economy-trade, investment, finance-banking, energy, science and technology, education-training, construction and health.

The two sides issued a joint statement on the third session of the Vietnam - Russia Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee.

The fourth session of the committee is scheduled to take﷽ place in Vietnam./.