In the joyous atmosphere of Christmas and New Year 2018, we look at the important events between Hungary and Vietnam that took place in 2017.
Earlier this year, Vietnam and Hungary signed a framework agreement on credit cooperation worth 440 million Euros in projects related to water management, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, information technology, agriculture, national defense, and security to implement development assistance projects in Vietnam.
President of Congress Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan paid his official visit to Budapest from April 8th to April 11th at the invitation of Hungarian Parliament Speaker Kövér László. The visit to Hungary by President of Congress Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and the high-level delegation of the Congress are in response to the official visit to Vietnam by the Hungarian Parliament Speaker Kövér László and the high-level Congress of the Hungarian Parliament in November 2015. The delegation had a meeting with Hungarian Parliament Speaker Kövér László, Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán Viktor, President of Hungary Áder János and attend the Workshop on Law. In addition, the delegation also met with representatives of the Vietnamese community in Hungary.
On 25th September, Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán Viktor and his wife visited Vietnam (from 24 to 26 September) at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. At the meetings, the two sides emphasized the importance of the Joint Committee on Vietnam-Hungary economic cooperation; agree to instruct relevant ministries and sectors to actively implement the results achieved during the 7th session of the Committee held in Budapest in March 2017. Vietnam highly appreciates Hungary's scholarship to 200 students per year in the next school year and requests Hungary to give scholarships for Vietnamese students in fields of the strength training of Hungary such as medicine, pharmacy, biotechnology, water resource management, information technology, and etc. Deputy Minister of Finance Vu Thi Mai and representatives of Eximbank of Hungary signed a loan agreement on the project "Investing in building Can Tho Cancer Hospital", this is an important project of the Mekong Delta. Can Tho Cancer Hospital will have 500 beds, the total investment of nearly 1.800 billion Vietnamese dongs.
In addition, in 2017 Foundation for the Vietnam-Hungary Relations has accompanied and supported many practical meaningful activities in order to build stronger Vietnam-Hungary relations. This includes many activities promoting Vietnamese culture. President of the Foundation, Phan Bich Thien, Ph.D., accompanied the delegation of Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán Viktor during his visit to Vietnam. The Foundation has been a bridge to promote Hungary's experience in environmental protection and the installation of environmental monitoring stations in Vietnam.
The Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Simontornya, Hungary is gradually being completed and is expected to be officially launched in 2018. The temple is located on a hill next to the famous castle called Fried, which includes all the elements of a pure Vietnamese temple and it is built entirely with materials brought from Vietnam
2017 is closing and a new year is coming, promising to open more practical and meaningful activities for the Vietnamese community in Hungary in particular and to the Vietnamese community around the world in general.
Foundation for the Vietnam-Hungary relations wishes everyone to have a happy Christmas and New Year 2018.