President of the Hungary - Vietnam Friendship Association Botz László believes that steadfast implementation of the development orientations set out by the Communist Party of Vietnam has led to the country’s current achievements and enhanced its international standing.

Ahead of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, President of the Hungary - Vietnam Friendship Association Botz László shared his views on Vietnam’s strong advances and spoke highly of the positive progress in bilateral relations between the two countries.

Botz László has served as President of the Hungary - Vietnam Friendship Association since 2007. Over the years, he has contributed to promoting Vietnam’s image in Hungary and strengthening bilateral cooperation through the organization and participation in numerous forums and diverse exchange activities in culture, education, diplomacy, local-level exchanges, and support for the Vietnamese community in Hungary.

In early 2025, he was awarded the Friendship Order by the Vietnamese State, a prestigious distinction granted to foreign nationals who have made outstanding contributions to relations between Vietnam and other countries.

Optimistic about Vietnam’s strong advances

According to Botz László, Vietnam’s socio-economic development is truly striking, and the path the country has taken in recent years is unprecedented. A comprehensive process of renovation and modernization of infrastructure is under way. This is evident not only in urban planning and transport, but across all areas of life.

He noted that what he particularly values is the consistent pursuit of balanced development policies by successive generations of Vietnamese leaders. Not only major cities, key tourism areas and main transport corridors are being developed at a rapid pace, but rural areas have also made significant progress. Clear improvements in education and healthcare can be felt nationwide.

All of these factors have fundamentally transformed living conditions and improved people’s standards of living. He added that not only he personally, but all members of the Hungary - Vietnam Friendship Association, hold deep admiration for the achievements Vietnam has attained.

Botz László observed that over the past 50 years, the leadership of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has always found the most appropriate path for the country. The steadfast implementation of the development orientations set by the Communist Party of Vietnam has led to today’s progress, enhanced the country’s international position, and at the same time preserved and consolidated the independence that President Ho Chi Minh long aspired to.

The President of the Hungary - Vietnam Friendship Association expressed his confidence that the 14th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, with the same wisdom demonstrated by previous congresses, will comprehensively review the path already taken, analyze the current volatile global political situation, draw sound conclusions, and thereby define medium- and long-term goals and tasks, as well as select the most suitable leaders to carry them out.

On that basis, he expects Vietnam to continue making strong socio-economic advances.

He also pointed out that Vietnam possesses enormous economic potential in tourism. This sector is growing rapidly worldwide and makes a significant contribution to national budgets. Vietnam is on the right track, and in the future, the development of tourism infrastructure will continue to be given priority.

Investment in education and research and development is of vital importance. In terms of knowledge and scientific and technological capacity, Vietnam has vast resources, and this field will certainly need to remain a top priority. From these foundations, he is confident that Vietnam will continue to rank among the world’s fastest-growing countries in the future.

Major opportunities in Vietnam - Hungary cooperation

The past 75 years have marked long strides in the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Hungary, a relationship that was nurtured and strengthened even during the most difficult and trying periods of the Vietnamese nation.

According to the President of the Hungary - Vietnam Friendship Association, in the current context, the Comprehensive Partnership Agreement signed in 2018 serves as an important starting point. At meetings of the Joint Economic Committee, areas of mutual interest are clearly identified, creating a promising framework for the dynamic development of bilateral relations. This has been reflected in concrete results in annual trade turnover.

Hungary possesses advanced technologies that can be effectively applied in Vietnam to address issues related to clean water supply and wastewater treatment. Cooperation in healthcare, as well as in pharmaceutical research and development, also holds considerable potential.

In particular, Hungary’s scholarship policy in recent years has prioritized and strongly supported Vietnamese students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Hungary, with around 200 Vietnamese students admitted each year.

Significant opportunities exist in scientific and technological cooperation and research, with expectations of rapid and effective progress that will bring benefits to both countries.

Regarding the role of the Vietnamese community in Hungary, he emphasized that it is a sizable community that plays a highly positive role in the neighborhoods where they live. The community has built trust among the Hungarian public, and their willingness to help, ability to integrate, and strong work ethic are highly valued by Hungarian society. The community will continue to grow and become a driving force in further strengthening ties between the two countries.

He affirmed that the Hungary - Vietnam Friendship Association will continue to make every effort to promote the development of relations between the two countries and peoples, maintain very close ties with the Vietnamese Embassy in Hungary, the Association of Vietnamese in Hungary, and the Vietnam - Hungary Friendship Association in Vietnam, and work together to build and develop friendly relations.