A milestone in Vietnam-Armenia relations was reached as Speaker Alen Simonyan visited Vietnam, the first such visit since the countries established diplomatic ties in 1992.
On the afternoon of November 19, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man hosted a welcoming ceremony and held talks with Alen Simonyan, Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, who is on an official visit to Vietnam.
This marks the first visit by the head of Armenia’s legislative body to Vietnam since the two countries established diplomatic relations over 30 years ago.
National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly Alen Simonyan. Photo: National Assembly
During the talks, Chairman Tran Thanh Man affirmed Vietnam's commitment to strengthening its traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Armenia. He shared updates on Vietnam's socio-economic situation, noting that the Vietnamese National Assembly is currently in its 8th session, addressing a significant legislative agenda.
Chairman Tran Thanh Man extended an invitation to Speaker Alen Simonyan to attend a parliamentary session on the morning of November 20.
Over recent years, Vietnam-Armenia relations have made notable progress. Bilateral trade has expanded, with trade turnover in the first 10 months of 2024 reaching nearly $424 million, a 28.9% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
Chairman Tran Thanh Man discusses scholarships and cultural exchanges with Speaker Alen Simonyan. Photo: National Assembly
Armenia has invested in several projects in Vietnam, including a $12.9 million electronics component factory in Quang Nam. Vietnam, in turn, encourages its enterprises to invest in Armenia, particularly in sectors like agriculture, food processing, and textiles.
Chairman Tran Thanh Man emphasized the significant potential for collaboration between the two nations. He urged both sides to implement the Vietnam-Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement to create transformative breakthroughs in economic and trade cooperation.
He also proposed scholarships for student exchanges, regular cultural interactions, and streamlined visa policies to facilitate tourism and cultural exploration.
On parliamentary relations, Chairman Tran Thanh Man noted that exchanges between the two parliaments remain infrequent, primarily limited to interactions on the sidelines of multilateral conferences. He recommended increased delegation exchanges to share legislative experiences and improve institutional frameworks to support national development.
Speaker Alen Simonyan of Armenia. Photo: National Assembly
Both sides are encouraged to negotiate and sign agreements to establish a legal framework for enhanced collaboration in areas such as trade, investment, and cultural exchange.
Speaker Alen Simonyan acknowledged the positive developments in bilateral relations and concurred with Chairman Tran Thanh Man’s suggestions to strengthen ties between the two parliaments. He highlighted the numerous opportunities for deeper Vietnam-Armenia cooperation and expressed Armenia’s intent to capitalize on these opportunities.
Speaker Alen Simonyan lays a wreath and visits the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Photo: National AssemblySpeaker Alen Simonyan visits the Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam national relic. Photo: National Assembly
As a member of multiple bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements, Armenia is actively fostering economic, trade, and investment cooperation with countries worldwide, including Vietnam.
During his visit, Speaker Alen Simonyan extended an invitation to Chairman Tran Thanh Man to visit Armenia and expressed Armenia’s readiness to welcome Vietnam’s participation in intergovernmental meetings on climate change and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
In the morning, Speaker Alen Simonyan paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh by laying a wreath and visiting his mausoleum. He also toured the Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam, a special national relic.
Vietnamnet.vn
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