Vietnam expects stronger parliamentary ties with Italy: official

Rome (VNA) – The Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) is delighted at the growth of Vietnam-Italy relations and hopes for stronger ties with the Italian parliament, NA Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien said during his talks with Vice President of the Italian Senate Ignazio La Russa in Rome on September 25.

Hien said the working visit by the Vietnamese NA delegation aims to enhance the Vietnam-Italy strategic partnership and cooperation between their parliaments.

According to him, the two economies have similarities and are complementary, advantages for economic partnerships. Many Italian businesses have invested in the Southeast Asian nation, mainly in manufacturing.

The Vice Chairman welcomed Italy’s provision of 100 million EUR (109.6 million USD) in official development assistance (ODA) for climate change response and water resource management projects in Vietnam. 

He also called on Italy to soon ratify the Free Trade Agreement and the Investment Protection Agreement between Vietnam and the European Union.

At the talks, Hien asked the two parliaments to continue supporting each other at multilateral forums and increase mutual visits by parliamentary leaders, agencies and friendship groups.

He also voiced his hope that Italy will continue supporting the peaceful settlement of disputes to ensure stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea in line with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct (DOC) of Parties in the East Sea, and supporting efforts to finalise a Code of Conduct (COC) in the waters.

For his part, Russa appreciated Vietnam’s cooperation and attention to relations with Italy.

Italy wishes to strengthen the two countries’ friendship and cooperation in politics, economy and culture, he said, adding that they should also increase defence collaboration.

Vietnam and Italy have gained good cooperation outcomes in industrial production, railway construction, culture and education, while bilateral connections in education are promising, the host official said.

At the Italian Senate, NA Vice Chairman Hien met with head of the finance committee Alberto Bagnai, head of the public works committee Mauro Coltorti, and head of the agriculture committee Gianpaolo Vallardi.

The two sides discussed many issues of common concern like environmental protection taxes on oil and petrol; climate change response; the investment, management and operation of public works; and cooperation in science – technology, education and agriculture.

Also on September 25, the Vietnamese NA delegation received the Italy – Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group, visited the Vietnamese Embassy and met with representatives of the Vietnamese community in Italy./.