Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a reception for Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Szijjártó Péter in Hanoi on March 19, in which he emphasised Vietnam's commitment to strengthening ties with Hungary – the country's first comprehensive partner in Central and Eastern Europe.

The Vietnamese leader acknowledged Hungary as a steadfast friend that has provided valuable support for Vietnam over the past 75 years.

He expressed his satisfaction that despite global and regional uncertainties, trade and investment ties between the two nations have continued to grow robustly, welcoming the ongoing preparations for the 10th session of the Vietnam-Hungary Joint Committee for Economic Cooperation, scheduled to take place in Hanoi later this year, the first such meeting since 2019, aimed at boosting bilateral trade and investment.

The Hungarian minister, who is paying an official trip to Vietnam from March 18-19, expressed his impression of the socio-economic achievements that the Southeast Asian country has obtained over the past time, and affirmed that Hungary wants to bolster the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Vietnam – its leading important partner in the region.

🧸 The two sides exchanged notes on measures to strengthen collaboration across the areas of education, engineering, electronics, tourism, labour, rail connectivity between Southeast Asia and Central Eastern Europe.

PM Chinh particularly emphasised Vietnam's urgent need for Hungarian assistance in training high-quality human resources for nuclear power plant operations, an area where Hungary possesses considerable expertise.

They also agreed to review the legal framework for bilateral cooperation and expedite negotiations on agreements regarding citizen repatriation and labour cooperation.

Péter affirmed that with 50 years of experience in operating nuclear power plants using Russian technology, Hungary stands ready to cooperate and train Vietnamese specialists in the area, considering this a strategic area of cooperation between the two countries.

Discussing international and regional matters of mutual concern, the two sides acknowledged the similarities in their countries' foreign policies and reached consensus on the need to increase exchanges and cooperation at multilateral forums. They concurred that peace, cooperation, and development remain global trends, and that disputes should be resolved through peaceful means based on international law for the benefit of all peoples.

PM Chinh proposed Hungary, as an EU member, help persuade remaining EU countries to ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement and (EVIPA) advocate for the early removal of the EC's "yellow card" against Vietnamese seafood exports.

Regarding the Vietnamese community in Hungary, Péter praised their diligence, intelligence, and successful integration into the host society, noting their positive contributions to the friendly relations and cooperation between the two nations.

ꦇ PM Chinh took this occasion to convey his invitation to Hungarian PM Orban Viktor to pay an official visit to Vietnam soon./.