Attending the welcome ceremony were Chairman of the Presidential Office Le Khanh Hai; Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son; Deputy Minister of National Defence Nguyen Hong Thai; Vietnamese Ambassador to Hungary Bui Le Thai; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Anh Tuan; Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang; Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong; and Assistant to the President Tong Thanh Tri.

Photo: President Luong Cuong and his spouse welcome President Sulyok Tamas and his spouse. (Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA).

This marks the first visit to Vietnam by a Hungarian head of state in 11 years and takes place as the two countries commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (February 3, 1950 – February 3, 2025).

Over the past 75 years, the traditional friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Hungary have continued to grow across various fields, including education and training, law and justice, culture, sports, and people-to-people exchanges.

As the motorcade carrying President Sulyok Tamas and his spouse arrived at the Presidential Palace, President Luong Cuong and his spouse warmly greeted them on the red carpet. Children from the capital presented fresh flower bouquets to the Hungarian President and his spouse.

Amid the welcoming music, President Luong Cuong and President Sulyok Tamas stepped onto the ceremonial platform. After listening to the national anthems of both countries, the two leaders reviewed the guard of honour of the Vietnam People's Army. They then introduced members of the high-level delegations attending the ceremony.

Despite geographical distance, Vietnam and Hungary share similar historical experiences in their struggles for national independence and resilience through hardship. Since 1950, the two countries have stood side by side through times of war and peace, supporting each other in national reconstruction and development.

Hungary has consistently regarded Vietnam as an important partner in Southeast Asia. In September 2018, the two nations elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership.

In recent years, bilateral political and diplomatic relations have been deepened based on mutual trust and understanding, laying a solid foundation for further cooperation. The two sides have also worked closely and supported each other at multilateral forums, particularly within the United Nations and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) framework.

The trusted political ties serve as a cornerstone for promoting other areas of cooperation, especially in trade and investment. Hungary played an active role in advocating for the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and was the first EU member state to ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

Thanks to the EVFTA, two-way trade has grown significantly. Both countries have agreed to strengthen economic, trade, and investment ties, leveraging opportunities under the EVFTA to strive for an annual bilateral trade growth rate of 10%.

Education and training remain a traditional pillar of bilateral cooperation. Hungary has provided training for over 4,000 Vietnamese doctoral and master’s degree holders and engineers, many of whom are now holding key positions in Vietnam.

Other traditional areas such as culture, sports, tourism, labour, science and technology, environment, agriculture, and water management continue to see strong collaboration.

Building on the strong foundation of 75 years of friendship, the official visit of President Sulyok Tamas and his spouse underscores the importance, reputation, and role of Vietnam in the region and the world. It also reflects the mutual desire to further advance the Vietnam-Hungary Comprehensive Partnership.

The visit is expected to deepen traditional relations while opening up new avenues of cooperation in renewable energy, nuclear energy, labour, information and communications technology, digital transformation, and green transition.

Following the welcome ceremony, President Luong Cuong and President Sulyok Tamas led the high-level delegations of both countries in official talks to review past cooperation outcomes and set directions for future collaboration.