On the occasion of the official visit to Vietnam of the Chairman of the Hungarian National Assembly: Continuing to deepen the Vietnam - Hungary Comprehensive Partnership

At the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, early this morning, October 18, Hungarian National Assembly Chairman Kover Laszlo arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, beginning an official visit to Vietnam. The visit demonstrates Hungary's emphasis on promoting bilateral relations, opening a new chapter in parliamentary cooperation, contributing to deepening and making the Vietnam-Hungary Comprehensive Partnership more effective.

Báo Đại biểu Nhân dân•18/10/2025

The potential for cooperation is still very large.

More than 75 years ago, on February 3, 1950, Vietnam and Hungary established diplomatic relations. Hungary was one of the first 10 countries in the world to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam. Since then, despite the geographical distance, the two countries have always maintained a close bond. Hungary has always stood side by side with Vietnam in the past struggle for independence and national unification and in the current construction and development process.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man met with Hungarian President Sulyok Tamas at the National Assembly House on the afternoon of May 28, 2025. Photo: Lam Hien

During the war years, Hungary provided Vietnam with sincere assistance both materially and spiritually. Many Vietnamese engineers and experts were trained in Hungary, acquiring valuable knowledge, contributing to the construction of Vietnam. In the country's development today, Hungary always considers Vietnam a priority partner in the Asia- Pacific and Southeast Asia regions. By September 2018, the two countries had established a Comprehensive Partnership, making Hungary Vietnam's first Comprehensive Partner in Central Eastern Europe.

On the basis of traditional friendship, mutual trust and understanding, in recent years, the relationship between the two countries has been increasingly developing well. Political and diplomatic relations have been increasingly strengthened, demonstrated through the exchange of delegations at all levels, especially high-level ones, which take place regularly through all channels of the Party, Government, National Assembly, and localities... On the Vietnamese side, the General Secretary, President, Chairman of the National Assembly, and Prime Minister have all visited Hungary. On the Hungarian side, since 2014, the President, Chairman of the National Assembly, and Prime Minister of Hungary have all visited Vietnam. In 2017, the Communist Party of Vietnam signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation with the FIDESZ Party, establishing official relations between the two ruling parties. This has created a solid foundation to promote relations between the two countries.

The two sides regularly coordinate and support each other at international organizations. In 2025, the two countries celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations and jointly organize many practical activities to celebrate this important event. Cultural weeks and culinary exchanges are also held in the two countries to enhance understanding and spread traditional cultural values to the people of the two countries.

Economically, Hungary is one of Vietnam's major trading partners in the Central Eastern Europe region. Vietnam is also one of Hungary's most potential markets in Southeast Asia. Bilateral trade turnover increases steadily every year, reaching over 900 million USD in 2024, an increase of 7.3% compared to 2023; in the first 9 months of 2025, it reached 758.3 million USD. Hungary ranks 52nd out of 149 countries and territories investing directly in Vietnam with 21 projects, with a total registered capital of 50.66 million USD (as of May 2025).

Hungary is the Central Eastern European country that provides the most preferential credit to Vietnam with 440 million Euros to implement a number of projects on electronic population management and clean water supply. It is also one of the first countries in the European Union to ratify the Vietnam - European Union Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

Vietnam and Hungary have also promoted effective cooperation in many other fields. Among them, educational cooperation is one of the highlights. Hungary has trained more than 4,000 experts with university and postgraduate degrees for Vietnam; it is currently the Central Eastern European country that grants the most scholarships to Vietnam, with 200 scholarships per year.

During the most difficult period of the Covid-19 pandemic, Hungary provided Vietnam with about 300,000 doses of vaccine and many medical supplies. Enterprises of the two countries have initially deployed sending Vietnamese workers to Hungary to work. Currently, there are about 2,000 Vietnamese workers in Hungary. The two sides are discussing a draft cooperation agreement in this field.

The Vietnamese community in Hungary currently has about 6,000 people, well integrated into the local community and is positively evaluated by the Hungarian side.

The potential for cooperation between the two countries is still very large, especially in the fields of politics - diplomacy, trade, investment, development cooperation, culture, education, health...

On the parliamentary channel, over the past years, the friendship and cooperation between the two countries' National Assemblies have developed well on both bilateral and multilateral levels. In bilateral cooperation, the two National Assemblies have maintained exchanges of delegations at all levels and carried out bilateral contacts in flexible forms, including in-person, online and high-level contacts.

At the meeting on May 28, 2025, the Hungarian President and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man both highly appreciated the dynamic development in cooperation between the two National Assemblies in recent times.

In particular, the two National Assemblies signed the first Cooperation Agreement in 2017, and re-signed it in 2022, creating a legal framework and a stable cooperation mechanism, helping the two sides promote the exchange of legislative experience, supervision, and decision-making on important national issues; at the same time, enhancing understanding and mutual trust between the legislative bodies of the two countries.

Cooperation between the two countries' National Assemblies plays a bridging role, contributing significantly to promoting the implementation of strategic cooperation goals between the two Governments, creating a solid political and legal foundation for other areas of cooperation such as economics, trade, investment, education and training, science and technology and culture.

The two countries' National Assemblies actively exchanged high-level delegations and specialized committees; and stepped up coordination in organizing seminars and talks to share experiences in legislation, public policy making, institutional improvement, building a rule-of-law state, and sustainable development.

The two sides also implemented a mechanism for regular information exchange on legislative activities and bilateral and multilateral international treaties to which Vietnam and Hungary are both members, in order to coordinate effective monitoring of the implementation of international commitments, ensuring transparency and compatibility within the legal framework of each country.

Within multilateral frameworks, the two countries' National Assemblies have maintained contact, consulted each other, and cooperated closely and effectively at multilateral parliamentary forums in which both sides participate, and jointly contributed many initiatives to regional and international inter-parliamentary organizations such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly.

Opening a new chapter in relations between the two countries' National Assemblies

The visit of the Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly takes place in the year Vietnam and Hungary celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (1950-2025) and only 5 months after the visit of Hungarian President Sulyok Tamas (May 2025). This demonstrates Hungary's respect for Vietnam's role, position and prestige in the region and internationally; at the same time, it demonstrates the desire and determination of both countries to promote the Vietnam - Hungary Comprehensive Partnership to become increasingly deeper and more effective.

At the meeting with the Hungarian President, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man expressed his great welcome and expectation for the visit of National Assembly Chairman Kover Laszlo; believed that the visit would open a new chapter in the relationship between the two countries' parliaments; affirmed that the Vietnamese National Assembly will accompany the Government and relevant agencies to implement the agreements reached between the two countries, contributing to bringing practical benefits to the people of the two countries.

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, Senior Lieutenant General Tran Quang Phuong met with Chairman of the Hungarian National Assembly Kover Laszlo during his working visit to Hungary in 2024.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Hungary Bui Le Thai said that the two visits to Vietnam by both the President and the Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly in the same year 2025 demonstrate Hungary's special regard for its relations with Vietnam, and at the same time reflect the high level of political trust between the two countries' senior leaders, which is the clearest evidence that the traditional friendship and comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and Hungary is entering a new, more substantial and effective stage of development.

According to Hungarian Ambassador to Vietnam Tibor Baloghdi, the visit to Vietnam by Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament Kover Laszlo demonstrates the two countries' shared commitment to further enhancing bilateral relations through parliamentary diplomacy and enhancing coordination between relevant agencies. He also stated that the Hungarian Parliament always attaches importance to promoting relations with the Vietnamese National Assembly - a solid pillar in the political relations between the two countries.

The visit of National Assembly Speaker Kover Laszlo is an opportunity for the two countries and the two National Assemblies to continue implementing the results achieved between the two countries' senior leaders, including further deepening trade and investment relations, cooperation in fields such as politics - diplomacy, security - defense, parliament, education, people-to-people exchange...; promoting cooperation in new fields such as renewable energy, labor, information technology and communications, digital transformation, green transformation... and cooperation at international forums.

In particular, the visit is of great significance in promoting and strengthening cooperation in parliamentary diplomacy; enhancing experience sharing between the two legislative bodies in law-making and supervising the implementation of policies and laws; enhancing the exchange of high-level delegations and continuing close coordination at regional and international multilateral parliamentary forums. Thereby, continuing to strongly, substantially and effectively develop the Vietnam - Hungary relationship for the practical interests of the people of the two countries, contributing to peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/nhan-chuyen-tham-chinh-thuc-viet-nam-cua-chu-chich-quoc-hoi-hungary-dua-quan-he-doi-tac-toan-dien-viet-nam-hungary-tiep-tuc-di-vao-chieu-sau-10390866.html