Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) will create favourable conditions for the signing and implementation of bilateral cooperation agreements between Vietnam and Timor-Leste, said NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man.
Receiving Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão in Hanoi on June 9, Chairman Man congratulated Timor-Leste on officially becoming a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and affirmed Vietnam’s constant support for the country’s accession process and participation in the bloc’s cooperation mechanisms.
PM Gusmão, who is on an official visit to Vietnam where he is also attending the third ASEAN Future Forum 2026, stressed that Timor-Leste attaches great importance to its friendship and cooperation with Vietnam, and thanked Vietnam for its consistent support throughout the country’s ASEAN membership journey. He expressed his hope that Vietnam would continue to share its experience in national development and regional and international integration.
The Timorese leader said he is impressed by Vietnam’s rapid development, describing the country as a model of post-war recovery, resilience and sustainable growth. He expressed his interest in learning from Vietnam’s experience in innovative mindset, institutional development and harnessing domestic strengths to build a self-reliant economy.
Chairman Man welcomed the outcomes of the Timorese PM’s high-level meetings with Vietnamese leaders and hailed the two countries’ signing of a visa exemption agreement for holders of ordinary passports, describing it as a significant step towards facilitating people-to-people exchanges and strengthening cooperation in trade and tourism.
Discussing Vietnam–Timor-Leste ties, Chairman Man noted with satisfaction that they have continued to develop positively over more than two decades since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2002. Bilateral trade maintained its growth momentum and reached 18.7 million USD in 2025, he said, adding that considerable potential remains for expanding join work in trade, investment, agriculture, oil and gas, fishery, construction, culture and tourism.
The top legislator proposed the two governments continue negotiations on new cooperation agreements and reaffirmed the Vietnamese legislature’s readiness to facilitate the signing and implementation of bilateral arrangements.
He also called for the effective implementation of existing agreements, including the framework agreement on technical and economic cooperation signed in April 2010, while encouraging broader collaboration in education and training, agriculture, digital transformation and human resources development.
National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man welcomes Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão in Hanoi on June 9. (Photo: VNA)
On parliamentary cooperation, Chairman Man suggested the two legislatures increase high-level exchanges and contacts between parliamentary bodies and lawmakers, while sharing experience in legislation, monitoring, and decision-making on key national issues. He also proposed closer consultation and mutual support within the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and other regional and international parliamentary forums.
He stressed the Vietnamese NA’s support for the National Parliament of Timor-Leste's bid to become a full member of AIPA.
PM Gusmão, for his part, praised the role of the two legislatures in creating favourable legal frameworks for bilateral cooperation and called for their stronger exchanges.
He underscored Timor-Leste’s desire to deepen practical cooperation with Vietnam in trade, investment, agriculture, education - training, human resources development, digital transformation and people-to-people exchanges. He also expressed his wish to maintain close coordination with Vietnam within ASEAN and at regional and international forums, contributing to peace, stability and development in the region.
On this occasion, Chairman Man extended an invitation to the Speaker of the National Parliament of Timor-Leste and other parliamentary leaders to visit Vietnam at a mutually convenient time.
He also called on Timor-Leste to continue creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses and the Vietnamese community living, studying and operating in the country, enabling them to contribute to Timor-Leste’s development while serving as a bridge of friendship between the two nations./.
