National Assembly Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien received a delegation of Australian parliamentarians led by Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library Rowan Ramsay in Hanoi on July 16.

National Assembly Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien (R) and his Australian guest.(Photo: daibieunhandan.vn)

The host expressed his belief that the visit will help Australian parliamentarians better their understanding of Vietnam and have chances to foster exchanges between the two countries parliamentarians in a practical and effective manner in the time to come, thus contributing to promoting the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Australia.

Hien spoke highly of the two legislatures’ establishment of their friendship parliamentarians’ groups, wishing that the groups will cooperate closely to help promote the friendship between the two legislative bodies.

The increase of exchanges between the two countries’ parliamentarians will actively contribute to strengthening mutual understanding between lawmakers as well as people of Vietnam and Australia, thus fostering the bilateral relations via the parliamentary channel, he said.

He said he hopes that Rowan Ramsay and other Australian parliamentarians will support and create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in Australia so that they can contribute more to the development of the host country and the bilateral ties.

For his part, Rowan Ramsay expressed his wish to continue to further develop the relationship between the two countries in the time ahead.

He appreciated Vietnam’s active participation in the UN peacekeeping missions and its respect for international law in solving the East Sea issues.

The same day, the Australian delegation had a working session with Secretary General - Chairman of the Office of the NA Nguyen Hanh Phuc, who is also Chairman of the Vietnam-Australia Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group.

To further strengthen the cooperation between the two parliaments, Phuc suggested both sides increase the exchange of delegations at all levels, supervise the implementation of cooperation agreements signed between the Governments, and share information on parliamentary activities in each country.

Agreeing with the NA Secretary General, Rowan Ramsay affirmed that he will make more efforts to foster the collaboration between the legislatures as well as the Vietnam-Australia ties in general.-VNA