Politburo member Truong Thi Mai and Gergely Gulyas, Vice President of the ruling party of Hungary – the Hungarian Civic Alliance (Fidesz) –, signed an MoU on cooperation between the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the Fidesz in Budapest on September 6. 

The signing took place at talks between the two officials as part of Mai’s visit to Hungary. 

Under the MoU, the two sides will hold meetings to consult each other and share information about Vietnamese and Hungarian situation, experience in Party building and youth policies, as well as fields of shared concern. 

 Mai, who is also head of the Party Central Committee’s Mass Mobilisation Commission, affirmed that the Vietnamese Party, Government, National Assembly and people always want to strengthen ties with political parties, including the Fidesz, as well as the State, parliament and people of Hungary. 

She said the CPV now maintains ties with more than 200 political parties in 114 countries worldwide and advocates strengthening ties with traditional friends while extending relations with major political parties in other countries

The Fidesz Vice President, who is Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary, said ties between Hungarian and Vietnamese legislatures have been strengthened via exchange of visits. 

He said both sides offer close and effective support to each other at multilateral parliamentary forums and contribute initiatives to regional and global parliamentary organisations. 

At a working session with Chairman of the Hungarian Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee and head of the Fidesz’s External Relations Committee Nemeth Zsoft, Mai expressed her hope that the signing of the MoU would open up a new chapter in ties between the two ruling Parties. 

Zsoft affirmed his support of Vietnam’s proposal to facilitate visits by the two countries’ Party leaders and officials, thus making it easier for exchange and cooperation. 

Meeting Hungarian Foreign Minister and Trade Szijjarto Peter, the CPV official spoke highly of the signing of a framework agreement on credit worth 524.6 million USD for Vietnam. 

She thanked Hungary for committing to pushing forward the European Union (EU)’s early signing and approval of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and recognising Vietnam as a market economy. 

The host minister said Hungary considers Vietnam the most important partner in Southeast Asia. Two-way trade between the two nations saw a spectacular increase of 36.28 percent last year to 266 million USD, but that was still a modest figure compared to their potential, he said. 

According to him, the upcoming Vietnam visit by the Hungarian PM in late September will provide a new impetus for bilateral economic-trade links. 

The two sides took the occasion to discuss the East Sea issue, the Vietnamese government’s stance on the settlement of East Sea dispute, relations between Hungary and the EU, and Hungary’s stance on immigration. 

The same day, the Vietnamese delegation also visited Thang Long trade centre, Tue Giac pagoda and met Vietnamese nationals living in Hungary.

VNA