President Sulyok Tamas visits Vietnam: Highest commitment to traditional friendship and cooperation between Hungary and Vietnam

On the occasion of the official visit of Hungarian President Sulyok Tamas and his wife to Vietnam (May 27-29), Hungarian Ambassador to Vietnam Baloghdi Tibor shared with TG&VN his expectations for the visit and highlights of bilateral cooperation.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Economic Relations Szijjarto Peter during his visit to Vietnam on March 19. (Photo: Jackie Chan)

Could you please share your expectations about Hungarian President Sulyok Tamas' visit to Vietnam in the context of the two countries celebrating the 75th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations?

The diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Hungary are built on a solid foundation of mutual respect, cooperation and close history. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations on February 3, 1950, Hungary has always supported Vietnam in many fields. Up to now, the two countries have become important partners of each other. I believe that Vietnam also highly values ​​this relationship with Hungary.

President Sulyok Tamas' official visit marks an important milestone in bilateral relations, demonstrating diplomatic commitment at the highest level.

Hungarian Ambassador to Vietnam Baloghdi Tibor. (Photo: CT)

Over the past decades, cooperation between the two countries has grown strongly. Hungary plays an important role in training human resources for Vietnam, especially in the fields of engineering, medicine, and natural sciences , with thousands of Vietnamese students having studied in Hungary.

Bilateral trade turnover has reached 1 billion USD, with a significant growth of 17% over the past year. Many Hungarian enterprises have been expanding their presence in Vietnam in fields such as pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, food, agriculture and defense industry.

Vietnam and Hungary have had a proud historical journey in bilateral relations. Currently, this relationship continues to develop based on the framework of Comprehensive Partnership. Could you please share the highlights of the cooperation between the two countries in recent times?

The establishment of the Comprehensive Partnership in 2018 is an important step forward, demonstrating the commitment of both sides to enhancing cooperation in many areas, from trade and investment to education, health, science and technology.

Bilateral trade turnover has been growing steadily. Hungary has become one of Vietnam’s important partners in Central Europe. Both sides continue to benefit from this fruitful cooperation.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s visit to Hungary in January 2024 created a strong momentum, reaffirming the commitment to strengthen economic, political and cultural cooperation between the two countries. Many important agreements were signed during this visit.

The visit of Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Economic Relations Szijjarto Peter in March this year also contributed to enhancing the effectiveness of comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son welcomed Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Economic Relations Szijjarto Peter on March 19. (Photo: Hai Minh)

In recent meetings, leaders of both countries have said that there is still much room for further cooperation. What cooperation programs will the two countries have in the coming time, especially in the fields of economics, trade, education and training, and climate change response?

The deep historical ties between the peoples of our two countries remain the solid foundation for our bilateral relations. To further strengthen these ties, we need to promote cultural and educational exchanges.

Hungary pledges to continue providing scholarships to Vietnamese students within the framework of the Stipendium Hungaricum program, thereby attracting young talents from Vietnam.

In addition to education, promoting tourism and cultural programs is also important. Encouraging direct exchanges between artists, writers and scholars will help increase mutual understanding.

The Hungarian Embassy is committed to organizing cultural weeks, film screenings and exhibitions to introduce the rich Hungarian cultural heritage to the Vietnamese public, contributing to narrowing the cultural gap between the two countries.

Hungary has been using nuclear energy for the past 50 years and is investing heavily in this sector through the construction of new nuclear power plants. Meanwhile, Vietnam is still considering the possibility of using nuclear energy, which opens up great opportunities for cooperation in training and transferring civil nuclear technology – areas of great potential for cooperation in the future.

Vietnam is promoting the development of science, technology, innovation and promoting the pioneering role of the private economy to achieve national development goals by 2030 and 2045. How does the Ambassador assess this development strategy of Vietnam? As a country with developed science and technology, especially high technology, what cooperation programs does Hungary have to accompany Vietnam in realizing development goals based on science, technology and innovation?

Vietnam’s visionary development strategy places a strong emphasis on science, technology and innovation, while promoting the leading role of the private sector. We appreciate Vietnam’s commitment to achieving its development goals through knowledge-based growth and economic progress. I am confident that this approach will enhance Vietnam’s global competitiveness and improve the lives of its people.

With its strengths in science and technology, Hungary sees great potential for cooperation with Vietnam in areas such as high-tech agriculture, digital transformation, water resources management, medical technology and artificial intelligence.

We are ready to support Vietnam through joint research and development projects (some of which have already been implemented under the science and technology cooperation agreement between the two countries), technology transfer programs and education and training cooperation, including scholarships and academic exchanges.

In addition, Hungary wishes to promote cooperation with the private sector, contribute to promoting innovation and support Vietnam in the transition to a high-value, knowledge-based economy.

Thank you very much Ambassador!

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tong-thong-sulyok-tamas-tham-viet-nam-cam-ket-o-muc-cao-nhat-voi-quan-he-huu-nghi-truyen-thong-va-hop-tac-hungary-viet-nam-315551.html