Hanoi (VNA) – Chairmanof the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue affirmed Vietnam’s wish to enhance traditionalties with Mexico during virtual talks with President of the MexicanSenate Olga Sanchez Cordero on July 18.

Chairman Hue emphasised thatVietnam will forever keep in mind Mexico’s precious support for its strugglefor national independence and reunification, adding it always treasures andwishes to promote traditional relations with Latin American countries,including Mexico, to a new level.

He said Vietnam hopes toenhance connections with Mexico via the Party, governmental, parliamentary andpeople-to-people channels.

Despite geographical distanceand the COVID-19 pandemic’s serious impacts in recent years, the two sides haveflexibly and effectively maintained the political consultation and the jointcommittee on economic, trade and investment cooperation, which has reflectedthe common resolve to sustain and reinforce bilateral ties.

Asking the two sides tocontinue increasing all-level mutual visits, especially by their senior leaders,he invited the Senate President to pay an official visit to Vietnam and alsoconveyed a similar invitation from Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc toMexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

At the talks, the twoparliamentary leaders applauded the encouraging outcomes in their countries’relations in the recent past.

In spite of the pandemic’simpacts on global trade, bilateral trade turnover still rose 37.5% year on yearto 5.06 billion USD in 2021 and stood at 2.33 billion USD in the first fivemonths of 2022.

They held that there remainsmuch room and potential for economic and trade links, especially when bothcountries are members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-PacificPartnership (CPTPP).

The parliaments of Vietnamand Mexico should facilitate businesses’ access to each other’s markets and capitaliseon the CPTPP’s preferential treatment so as to foster economic and trade ties,they said.

Hue noted Vietnam is ready towork with Mexico to further promote trade relations in a more balanced mannerand create conditions for the two countries’ enterprises to increase investmentin each other’s markets.

Cordero said the Mexicanparliament supports the countries’ negotiation, finalisation and signing ofimportant cooperation deals such as an agreement on customs cooperation, anagreement on double taxation avoidance and another on cooperation in highereducation, thus creating a legal basis for bilateral collaboration to developstably and sustainably.

The two top legislators alsohighly valued the partnerships in defence, culture, education and traditionalmedicine.

Hue underlined Vietnam’sreadiness to boost defence - security ties, particularly in policy exchange, maritimesecurity, participation in the peacekeeping force, terrorism and transnationalcrime fight, and defence personnel training.

Meanwhile, Cordero also agreedto bolster partnerships in cross-border crime combat and other priority issuesin security.

Regarding multilateralcooperation, the Vietnamese NA Chairman spoke highly of the close coordination andmutual support at international organisations and multilateral forums such asthe United Nations when both served as non-permanent members of the UN SecurityCouncil (Vietnam in 2020 - 2021 and Mexico in 2021 - 2022) and are currentlymembers of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the Asia-Pacific EconomicCooperation (APEC), and the Forum for East Asia - Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC).They are also working together to effectively implement the CPTPP.

He thanked Mexico for advocatingVietnam’s candidacy for a seat in the UN Human Rights Council for 2023 - 2025 andthe Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf for 2023 - 2028.

He expressed his hope forcontinued mutual support at multilateral forums, adding that Vietnam is readyto support Mexico to enhance cooperation with other ASEAN countries.

The Mexican Senate Presidentheld that the two countries share many common values on the basis of respectfor independence, sovereignty, friendship and multilateralism. She alsoaffirmed her country’s support for Vietnam at multilateral forums.

The leaders shared the viewthat the two parliaments should strongly promote the governments’establishment of a comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and Mexico. Theyalso spoke highly of parliamentary cooperation in bilateral and multilateralaspects and affirmed the important role of this cooperation in enhancingbilateral ties.

They agreed to boostdelegation exchanges between the parliaments’ leaders, specialised agencies andfriendship groups, increase sharing experience, and maintain consultation,coordination and mutual support at multilateral cooperation mechanisms as wellas regional and international parliamentary forums.

They agreed to coordinateclosely to further step up relations between the Vietnamese and Mexican States, parliaments andpeople, voicing their belief that the bilateral friendship andcooperation will keep thriving for the sake of their people and for regionaland global peace, stability, cooperation and development./.