Vietnam- Hungary relations are set to increasingly develop in the future, said Márta Mátrai, first officer of the Hungarian National Assembly (NA), in a recent media interview given on the sidelines of the Vietnamese Women's Forum in Europe held in early June in the Hungarian capital of Budapest.

The Hungarian official especially appreciated the positive relationship that exists between the two legislatures which has developed on three pillars. This includes the co-operation of the Friendship Parliamentary Groups between the two countries’ legislative bodies, links between specialised committees, and ties between the two NA Offices.

A broad array of activities were organised in late June, 2022, including the visit of NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, a business forum, an educational forum, and cultural events, Mátrai said, adding that this shows that the relationship between the two countries has grown steadily across multiple fields.

Sharing more specifically, she said that political and diplomatic relations between the two countries play a leading role, while economic and trading ties are also indispensable.

During the visit to Hungary by leading Vietnamese legislator NA Chairman Hue last year, the meeting with the Hungarian Prime Minister saw the two sides discuss a wide range of measures to  further promote economic collaboration.

According to Mátrai, the signing of a series of bilateral co-operation agreements serves as a good basis for further boosting ties between the two countries. In particular, within the framework of this visit a total of eight Vietnamese universities signed co-operation programmes with Hungarian partners.

Furthermore, every year sees Hungary provides 200 scholarships for Vietnamese students to study in the Eastern European nation. This is a special move which aims to help more young people be trained in Hungary, with this group being the ones who will serve as a bridge boosting the relationship between the two countries in the future, she affirmed.

Mátrai also highly appreciated the establishment of the Hungarian Club in Hanoi in early 2023 to bring together alumni who have studied in Hungary and young people who are highly interested in learning about the Eastern European country.

She believes that this represents a hugely positive move to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and help Vietnamese people gain a better understanding about Hungary.

Regarding the Vietnamese community based in Hungary, Mátrai highly appreciated the contribution of the Vietnamese community in the host nation. It is a very hardworking, law-abiding community that integrates quickly into the local society, she went on to say.

Amid this context she expressed optimism that the two countries' relations will bear fruit in the future.

Source: VOV