Vietnam - Armenia to boost trade and investment partnerships: NA Chairwoman

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) meets with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Hanoi on July 6. (Photo: VNA)

Ngan had a meeting in Hanoi on July 6 with the Armenian PM, who is paying an official visit to Vietnam.

The host leader congratulated Armenia on its enormous development attainments, improvement of people’s living standards and growing stature in the international arena.

She expressed her delight at the successful talks between the Armenian PM and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and learnt that the two sides reached consensus on orientations and measures for promoting bilateral cooperation in the time ahead.

PM Pashinyan informed his host that the second meeting of the Vietnam-Armenia Inter-governmental Committee and a business forum of the two countries will be held in Yerevan capital of Armenia in October this year.

Host and guest said their countries share a sound traditional friendship and have supported each other at international forums as well as the United Nations.

The Armenian PM highly valued Vietnam’s development achievements and growing prestige in the world, asking it to continue supporting his country at international forums, while Chairwoman Ngan said Vietnam always attaches importance to enhancing cooperation with traditional partners, including Armenia.

Although political and diplomatic relations between the two sides have been developing well, delegation exchanges remain modest and economic, trade and investment ties have yet to be on par with the cooperation potential, Ngan noted.

She expressed her hope that at the upcoming second meeting of the Inter-governmental Committee, solutions will be devised to strengthen connections in all fields, especially the exchange of all-level delegations to boost trade and investment partnerships.

The free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union, of which Armenia is a member, has taken effect. The two countries have also set up an inter-governmental committee for cooperation in economy-trade and science-technique. Meanwhile, Vietnam and the European Union have also signed a free trade agreement.

Given these, Chairwoman Ngan asked the two countries to make the full use of the existing mechanisms to strengthen trade and investment links, thus helping to develop their economies.

At the meeting, PM Pashinyan said this Vietnam trip also seeks to reinforce parliamentary relations, conveying the Armenian NA President’s invitation to Ngan to visit the country, and expressing his belief that the enhancement of parliamentary ties will help foster the countries’ cooperation.

In response, the host leader affirmed that the Vietnamese NA will boost bilateral collaboration at regional and international forums, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union. It will also exchange opinions with the Armenian side about issues of common concern and interest.

Through PM Pashinyan, she offered thanks to the Armenian NA President’s invitation and also invited the country’s parliamentary leader to visit Vietnam in the near future./.

VNF/VNA