Hungarian National Assembly Speaker's visit to Vietnam deepens comprehensive partnership: Ambassador
WVR - On the occasion of Hungarian National Assembly Speaker Kover Laszlo's official visit to Vietnam (October 18-22), Vietnamese Ambassador to Hungary Bui Le Thai shared with The World and Vietnam Report about the significance and focus of the visit.
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| National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man meets with Hungarian President Sulyok Tamas during his visit to Vietnam in May 2025. (Source: quochoi.vn) |
Could you evaluate the significance and main focus of Hungarian National Assembly Speaker Kover Laszlo's visit to Vietnam this time?
It can be affirmed that the visit of Hungarian National Assembly Speaker Kover Laszlo to Vietnam is of great significance, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries (February 3, 1950 - February 3, 2025), and just five months after the visit of Hungarian President Sulyok Tamas to Vietnam (May 2025). This visit affirms the determination of Hungary's high-level leadership to further deepen the Vietnam-Hungary Comprehensive Partnership, making the relationship increasingly profound and effective.
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| Vietnamese Ambassador to Hungary Bui Le Thai. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Hungary) |
The visit is an opportunity for both sides to review the cooperation results between Hungary and Vietnam in recent times, discuss measures to promote comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, from political – diplomatic, economic – trade, cultural – educational to science and technology, and especially in parliamentary cooperation – a crucial pillar in the bilateral relationship.
On this occasion, the two national assemblies will have extensive exchanges on legislative activities, supervision, and decision-making on national issues, as well as enhance coordination at regional and international parliamentary forums, promoting exchanges between specialized committees and friendship parliamentary groups.
Both sides will evaluate the implementation and supervision of signed Cooperation Agreements, including the Cooperation Agreement between the two National Assemblies re-signed in 2022, and agree on new cooperation directions that align with current development requirements and the development priorities of Vietnam and Hungary in the coming time.
The visit of Hungarian National Assembly Speaker Kover Laszlo takes place just five months after the visit of Hungarian President Sulyok Tamas to Vietnam. How do you assess the efforts of high-level delegation exchanges between the two countries recently and their significance in promoting bilateral cooperation in the new phase?
Since the two countries upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership in 2018, high-level leaders from both sides have frequently visited each other, thereby enhancing understanding and political trust, and especially deepening personal relationships between the high-level leaders of the two countries.
In 2025 – the year marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations – a significant milestone in bilateral relations, the two countries have been intensifying delegation exchanges across all external channels: Party, State (including the National Assembly), and people-to-people exchanges.
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| Hungarian National Assembly Speaker Kover Laszlo receives Ambassador Bui Le Thai to discuss cooperation between the two countries, February 2025. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Hungary) |
On Hungary's side, high-level delegations include the Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Economy visiting Vietnam in March, the Hungarian President visiting in May, the Hungarian Socialist Party Chairman visiting in June, and now the Hungarian National Assembly Speaker. On Vietnam's side, there have been 10 delegations visiting and working in Hungary, including a delegation led by Phan Dinh Trac, Politburo Member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Internal Affairs Commission (June 2025).
The frequent exchange of delegations, including many high-level ones and especially the two visits to Vietnam by both the Hungarian President and National Assembly Speaker in the same year, demonstrates Hungary's special regard for its relationship with Vietnam, while reflecting the high level of political trust between the high-level leaders of the two countries. This is the clearest evidence that the traditional friendship and Comprehensive Partnership between the two countries are entering a new phase of more substantive and effective development.
The Vietnam-Hungary National Assembly cooperation has established a solid foundation, including the agreement signed in 2022. In your opinion, what role does parliamentary cooperation play in promoting new cooperation goals between the two countries?
The cooperation between the National Assembly of Vietnam and the National Assembly of Hungary has indeed established a solid foundation for the traditional friendship and Comprehensive Partnership between the two countries. The cooperation agreement first signed in 2017 and re-signed in 2022 has created a legal framework and stable cooperation mechanism, helping both sides to promote exchanges of legislative experience, supervision, and decision-making on major national issues, thereby enhancing understanding and mutual trust between the legislative bodies of the two countries.
Parliamentary cooperation plays a crucial role as a bridge in promoting and supervising the implementation of strategic cooperation goals between the two governments, while also providing a solid political and legal foundation for other areas of cooperation such as economy, trade, investment, education and training, science and technology, and culture. The two national assemblies have committed to enhancing high-level delegation exchanges and specialized committees, as well as promoting the organization of seminars and discussions on legislation and public policy, thereby contributing to sharing experiences in institutional improvement, building a rule-of-law state, and sustainable development.
Both sides are also implementing a mechanism for regular information exchange on legislative activities, bilateral and multilateral international treaties that Vietnam and Hungary are members of, to coordinate effective supervision of the implementation of international commitments, ensuring transparency and compatibility within each country's legal framework.
Moreover, close coordination at multilateral parliamentary forums – such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) or regional forums in Asia – Europe also helps the two national assemblies to express a common voice on many important international issues, while supporting each other at multilateral forums, thereby enhancing the position and image of both Vietnam and Hungary on the international stage.
Beyond parliamentary cooperation, this visit is also an opportunity for both sides to discuss in-depth new potential cooperation directions, especially in green transition, digital transformation, information technology application, and artificial intelligence (AI) in lawmaking and national governance. These are globally relevant areas that align with the development strategies of both Vietnam and Hungary.
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| Ambassador Bui Le Thai and Mr. Zoltán Balaicz, Mayor of Zalaegerszeg, discussing potential cooperation. (Source: Hungarian Embassy in Vietnam) |
In emerging fields such as the digital economy and green economy, how can the two countries learn from and share experiences with each other, Ambassador?
Both Vietnam and Hungary have identified digital transformation, innovation, digital economy, and green development as strategic priorities in their current development phase. These are precisely the areas where the two countries can complement each other.
Hungary has strengths and extensive experience in high-tech industries, digital infrastructure, e-government, smart city models, renewable energy, waste management, and sustainable agriculture. Vietnam has advantages in its young, dynamic workforce, quick adaptability to new technologies, along with an open market and an increasingly improved investment environment. These are significant cooperation potentials. The combination of Vietnam's market – workforce advantages and Hungary's technology – standards will create new value chains in the digital and green economy, making practical contributions to the sustainable development of both countries.
In the future, the two countries can enhance cooperation, exchange experiences in policy-making, train high-quality human resources, exchange experts, and transfer technology in areas such as clean energy, digital technology, innovation, circular economy, and sustainable resource management. This will be a new direction, deepening the Comprehensive Partnership, while aligning with the sustainable development and international integration requirements of both Vietnam and Hungary.
It can be said that the visit of National Assembly Speaker Kover Laszlo is a significant milestone in the 75th anniversary of Vietnam-Hungary diplomatic relations. This is not only an occasion to affirm political trust and traditional friendship but also to open up new cooperation directions associated with development requirements in the digital and green era.
With the strong foundation built over 75 years, the determination of the leaders of both countries, along with the companionship of the National Assembly, Government, businesses, and people of both countries, I am confident that the Vietnam-Hungary Comprehensive Partnership will continue to develop strongly, substantively, and effectively, bringing practical benefits to the people of both countries, and contributing positively to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Thank you very much, Ambassador!
