Welcoming the European Parliament delegation visiting and working in Vietnam, the Chairman of the National Assembly highly appreciated the positive and important results in Vietnam-EU relations, as well as between Vietnam and its member states.
On the afternoon of June 19th, at the National Assembly building, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue received the delegation of parliamentarians responsible for relations with Southeast Asian countries and ASEAN from the European Parliament (EP), led by Mr. Daniel Caspary, Chairman of the Group.
Welcoming the European Parliament delegation to Vietnam and having held successful talks with the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, representing several committees of the Vietnamese National Assembly, affirmed that Vietnam highly values and wishes to promote relations with the European Union (EU) - a leading important partner in Vietnam's foreign policy.
The Speaker of the National Assembly highly appreciated the positive and important results in Vietnam-EU relations (as well as between Vietnam and its member states) comprehensively across the main pillars of politics , diplomacy; economy, trade, and investment; agriculture, forestry, and fisheries; including cooperation in defense and security; development cooperation; and human rights dialogue.
Vietnam has always supported strengthening the ASEAN-EU strategic partnership. Vietnam, as well as the Vietnamese National Assembly, is ready to play an active role in this process.
Mr. Daniel Caspary expressed his sincere gratitude to the Speaker of the National Assembly for taking the time for the meeting and stated that since 2015, he has made several visits and working trips to Vietnam to further strengthen and consolidate the very good cooperative relationship between the Parliaments/National Assemblies of the two sides.
Mr. Daniel Caspary shared the agenda items covering various topics with relevant Vietnamese agencies in recent times, reflecting the EP's interest in cooperating with the National Assembly and other functional agencies of Vietnam; including cooperation mechanisms in implementing the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA); and cooperation in several areas within ASEAN, with the EU-ASEAN relationship having been upgraded to a Strategic Partnership.
Emphasizing that both sides have gone through extremely difficult times due to COVID-19 and conflicts around the world, Mr. Daniel Caspary stated that in this context, the relationship between the EU and Vietnam will play an increasingly important role.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, both sides witnessed growth in trade and investment cooperation, highlighting the importance of the EVFTA.
Mr. Daniel Caspary expressed his expectation that trade turnover will continue to grow further in the future, and that parliamentary cooperation plays a very important role in the overall cooperative relationship between the EU and Vietnam.
Pleased to witness Vietnam's development, the members of the EP delegation expressed their positive impression of the country and its people, believing that visits and exchanges between the two sides will contribute to strengthening mutual understanding and trust, fostering closer ties, and bringing prosperity to the people of both countries. The steady increase in bilateral trade over the past period demonstrates the importance of the EVFTA Agreement.
The delegates also expressed interest in fisheries, policies to promote the development of Vietnam's regions and ensure the quality of development; and solutions and directions in implementing the goal of building an environmentally friendly energy program...
The Speaker of the National Assembly shared that Vietnam pursues the goal of development that ensures there is no excessive gap between the rich and the poor.
Vietnam is divided into six regions based on geographical area. Regions with good development potential will be given superior policies to accelerate their growth and create a ripple effect on other regions. Regions facing greater difficulties will be given more appropriate policies to narrow the development gap with other regions.
Vietnam is deploying and investing significant resources in three national target programs: sustainable poverty reduction, new rural development, and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.
Specifically, the National Assembly is exercising supreme oversight over "the implementation of the National Assembly's Resolutions on national target programs for building new rural areas in the period 2021-2025, sustainable poverty reduction in the period 2021-2025, and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the period 2021-2030."
During the meeting, the Speaker of the National Assembly and the MEPs exchanged views on regional and international issues of common concern. The Speaker of the National Assembly requested the EU to continue playing an active role, contributing its voice and taking concrete actions to ensure the rule of law and freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea; and to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN on this issue.
The Speaker of the National Assembly stated that the relationship between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the European Parliament is developing very well in a spirit of cooperation and constructive engagement; and expressed hope that the two sides will continue to cooperate closely, especially in exchanging experiences in parliamentary operations, improving legal institutions, and addressing challenging global issues.
In addition to strengthening bilateral cooperation, both sides need to actively coordinate closely at important multilateral and regional parliamentary forums.
Stating that there are still many cooperation mechanisms between the two sides, such as discussions on investment protection measures, Mr. Daniel Caspary thanked the Speaker of the National Assembly for sharing information on Vietnam's efforts in realizing the Political Declaration on establishing a Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) between Vietnam and the G7 countries; on the proposal to lift the IUU yellow card soon; on encouraging EU-Vietnam cooperation in modernizing the fisheries sector in Vietnam; and on Vietnam's commitment to fulfilling its obligations under the EVFTA Agreement… He also stated that the European Union is striving to get the parliaments of the remaining countries to continue ratifying the Vietnam-EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).
Mr. Daniel Caspary expressed his hope that, together with the European Union's "Global Gateway" initiative, it will contribute to strengthening connections between the European Union and ASEAN, as well as between the people of the two blocs.
The Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP) conference, scheduled to take place this year in Europe, will be an opportunity for both sides to exchange views and discuss ways to further promote bilateral cooperation.
During the meeting, through the Head of the Parliamentary Group, Daniel Caspary, the Speaker of the National Assembly respectfully extended an invitation to the Delegation of Young Parliamentarians from the EP to visit Vietnam and participate in the 9th Global Forum of Young Parliamentarians, jointly organized by Vietnam and the Inter-Parliamentary Union in September this year.
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