Moscow (VNA) – National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man's September 8-10 official visit to Russia will contribute to strengthening cooperative relations between the Vietnamese NA and the State Duma (low house) and the Federation Council (upper house) of the Federal Assembly of Russia, said Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dan🍒g Minh Khoi.

The visit will help enhance exchanges and interactions between committees and parliamentary friendship groups of the two countries, as well as coordinate actions at international and regional inter-parliamentary forums, he said in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency. It demonstrates that the traditional friendship between the two countries continues to be inherited, continuously strengthened, and developed in the new situation, meeting the aspirations of the two countries' leaders and people, Khoi said, adding over the past 20 years, bilateral relations have developed robustly, with a strategic partnership established in 2001 and a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2012. He noted that Russia has always considered Vietnam a key priority in its "Look East" policy, a strategic partner and a loyal friend. Vietnam, in turn, has always regarded Russia as one of its top important partners and a priority in its foreign policy. According to the ambassador, the visit shows that maintaining high-level visits and contacts between the leaders of the two countries is of critical importance in driving the comprehensive development of bilateral relations, especially in the current complex global and regional context. During their recent phone talks, Party General Secretary and President To Lam and President Putin agreed to step up high-level meetings and exchanges to discuss major orientations for promoting bilateral relations and addressing specific difficulties and obstacles to the current cooperation between the two countries, he added. The top Vietnamese legislator's visit will further enhance comprehensive cooperation between the two countries in all fields, including politics, trade, and people-to-people exchange. Immediately following the trip, the 25th session of the Intergovernmental Committee, chaired by the Deputy Prime Ministers of both countries, will take place on September 11 to comprehensively discuss cooperation in the areas of economy, trade, and science and education. A key event during the visit is the third session of the Inter-parliamentary Cooperation Committee between the National Assembly of Vietnam and the the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of Russia. Ambassador Khoi noted that this mechanism plays a crucial role in making bilateral cooperation intensive, practical and effective. The two parliaments have created a legal framework and a favourable economic-trade and investment cooperation for the two countries' businesses; and supervised the implementation of agreements reached by the high-ranking leaders. The session will share legislative experience and feature specific solutions to enhance bilateral collaboration. During Russian President Putin's June visit to Vietnam, the leaders of both nations agreed to further strengthen political trust, maintain and increase high-level meetings and contacts, and effectively implement the reached agreements. The two sides will promote contacts through the Party, National Assembly and people-to-people diplomacy channels, enhance mutual understanding and support between the people of the two countries; continue to attach importance to diplomatic, national defence and security cooperation, strengthen coordination at international and regional forums; pay more attention to energy, economic, trade and investment cooperation. They will work to remove current difficulties and obstacles, promote the strengths of each side and find new growth drivers and new areas of cooperation between the two countries; while attaching importance to and renewing traditional areas of cooperation such as education and training, cultural exchange and tourism, the diplomat said./.