Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Hungary issued a joint statement on the establishment oftheir comprehensive partnership on the occasion of General Secretary of theCommunist Party of Vietnam (CPV)’s Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong’s visitto Hungary from September 8-11.

The statement notedthat during his visit, the CPV leader had talks with Hungarian Prime MinisterViktor Orban, met President Janos Ader, Deputy Speaker of the National AssemblyHende Csaba, attended the conference of rectors of Vietnam and Hungary’suniversities, and visited Szentendre city.

At the talks, the CPVleader and PM Viktor Orban briefed each other of the political and socio-economicsituation in each country and discussed regional and international issues ofshared concern.

They expresseddelighted at the strong growth of bilateral relations over the past 68 years,stressing the significance of maintaining the existing mechanism of politicalconsultations, and welcomed the regular exchanges of delegations between thetwo sides.

They underscored thatVietnam and Hungary are key partners for each other in their respective regions,showing their hope to further bolster bilateral ties through the establishmentof a comprehensive partnership between the two countries.

The leaders affirmedthat economic and financial cooperation continues to be a priority in bilateralcollaboration. They highlighted the need for closer coordination and effectiveimplementation of preferential loans that Hungary provided Vietnam in 2017.

They agreed to shareexperience and strengthen cooperation in issues related to the Fourth IndustrialRevolution, agriculture, food industry, finance and tax, water resources management,science-technology, labour, and natural resources and environmental protection.

The two sides affirmedthe important role of the Vietnam-Hungary Joint Committee on Economic Cooperationin creating new cooperation opportunities in fields, while agreeing to createfavourable conditions for goods of the two sides to access each other’s market,including the promotion of the signing and ratification of the free tradeagreement between Vietnam and the EU.

The leaders expressedthe shared interest in bolstering cooperation in health care following specificcontents included in the memorandum of understanding between Hungary’s Ministryof Innovation and Technology and Vietnam’s Ministry of Health.

They also welcomed thelaunching of the project to build a tumor hospital in Can Tho city usingHungary’s preferential credit.

Both sides welcomed the signing of theMemorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation between the two DefenceMinistries.

[Hungary considers Vietnam most impo♉rtant partner in S.E. Asia]

They stressed the importance ofcollaboration between the two judicial offices, and welcomed the signing of anagreement on mutual legal assistance in civil matters between Vietnam andHungary.

Trong thanked the Hungarian Government forthe recently increased number of scholarships offered to Vietnamese students.The two sides acknowledged the importance of cooperation in language education,and lauded the signing of a 2019-2021 educational cooperation programme betweenthe Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training and the Hungarian Ministry ofHuman Capacities.

They agreed to intensify cultural, sportand tourism exchanges to enhance mutual understanding between the two peoplestowards celebrations of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2020.

The leaders praised strong development inrelationship between the two peoples, including partnership betweenentrepreneurs, encouraging the implementation of cooperative agreements betweenthe two countries’ localities.

They emphasised the necessity of steppingup consultations and effective collaboration at multilateral forums andorganisations, especially the United Nations, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM)forum which includes Mekong-Danube Cooperation.

Both affirmed the central role of the UN inmaintaining international peace and security and promoting sustainabledevelopment and prosperity, while stressing the principle of addressingdisputes by peaceful means, without using or threatening to use violence and onthe basis of international law and the UN Charter.

The Vietnamese Party chief thanked theHungarian Government for creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamesecommunity to live, study, work and do business in Hungary. PM Orban, in turn,appreciated the community’s contributions to boosting the two countries’friendship.

Both sides expressed satisfaction over theoutcomes of Trong’s official visit to Hungary, considering it an importantpolitical event in the history of the bilateral relations which creates a newdriving force for the ties in all fields.

Trong showed his gratitude for theHungarian side’s warm welcome and invited the Hungarian PM to visit Vietnam.The latter accepted the invitation.-VNA