National Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung’s visit hopes to promote cooperation between Vietnam and three European nations, opening up new opportunities for future development. 

 National Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung has left Hanoi at the invitation of his Russian, German and Polish counterparts, beginning his three nation tour lasting from March 9­­–17.

 Vietnamese-Russian relations have grown considerably after the signing of a joint statement on the strategic partnership.

 Relations were upgraded to a strategic partnership during President Truong Tan Sang’s visit to Russia in July 2012.

In Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first decree on external relations, Russia placed Vietnam on an equal footing with other regional powers, behind only China and India.

 Political dialogues and bilateral military cooperation between Vietnam and Russia have expanded in recent years through delegation exchanges at all levels.

 Economic and trade ties continued to climb with two-way trade turnover leaping to US$2.45 billion in 2012 from 2011’s nearly US$2 billion.

Russian investment in Vietnam increased from US$100 million in 2008 to US$1.7 billion in 2012.

 The two countries have coordinated closely at international forums like the UN, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum.

 The healthy relations between the Vietnamese NA and the Russian parliamentary Upper House and State Duma have significantly contributed to strengthening bilateral ties.

Germany is one of Vietnam’s important European partners. German political leaders have acknowledged and reciprocated Vietnam’s interest in enhancing its relationship with the country.

Both sides signed a joint statement on establishing a strategic partnership during German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s 2011 visit to Vietnam.

 Germany is interested in the Vietnam-EU FTA negotiations and supports ending the imposition of anti-dumping duties on Vietnamese leather shoes. It has also expressed its good will towards Vietnam’s anti-trade fraud investigation.

 Germany accounts for 19 percent of the Vietnam’s total European exports, making it the country’s biggest European trade partner. It is also one of the most consistent and generous of Vietnam’s ODA providers. Germany has given more than 1 billion Euro to ODA-funded projects in Vietnam.

Parliamentary leader exchanges have helped bring the two countries’ legislative bodies closer together. Vietnam has also set up a parliamentary friendship group with Germany.

 The tradition of friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Poland has shown no signs of abating. They celebrated their 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2010.

 Poland is Vietnam’s preeminent eastern-central European partner and has made Vietnam its third biggest Southeast Asian partner.

 Vietnam regularly enjoyed export surpluses as its bilateral trade turnover with Poland grew.

 The 20,000–30,000-strong Vietnamese community living in Poland lend their support to the friendship and economic and trade cooperation between the two nations.

 Delegation exchanges enabling the sharing of Polish and Vietnamese legislative experiences proved a boon to the relations between the two governing bodies. Their respective parliamentary friendship groups consolidate the successes of this cooperation./.

(CPV/VOVNews)