Vice Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Nguyễn Khắc Định has concluded a four-day official visit to Romania, reaffirming Hanoi’s commitment to deepening relations with one of its traditional partners in Central and Eastern Europe. During the trip, which took place from 8–11 September, Mr Định held a series of meetings with senior Romanian leaders, including Senate President Mircea Abrudean, Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies Natalia Elena Intotero, and members of the Romania–Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group.
At talks with Senate President Abrudean, Mr Định expressed his pleasure at paying his first visit to Romania, which he described as a beautiful and hospitable country. He extended congratulations on the country’s socio-economic progress and its achievements in European integration. For his part, Mr Abrudean underlined the Romanian Parliament’s consistent support for closer ties with Việt Nam, particularly in trade and investment, as well as in cooperation with the European Union. He called for practical steps to broaden collaboration in education, training, the defence industry and tourism, including the early launch of a direct air service between the two nations. Accepting an invitation from NA Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn, he expressed his wish to visit Việt Nam in the near future.
In discussions with Vice President Intotero, Mr Định reaffirmed Việt Nam’s policy of attaching importance to relations with long-standing friends such as Romania. Ms Intotero congratulated Việt Nam on the successful celebration of its 80th National Day and welcomed the recent visa exemption for Romanian citizens, noting an increase in Romanian visitors to Việt Nam. The Vietnamese Vice Chairman took the opportunity to thank Romania for its longstanding support, recalling assistance during Việt Nam’s struggle for independence and reunification, as well as more recent gestures such as the donation of 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine. He also highlighted Romania’s role in promoting the signing of the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) during its presidency of the EU Council in 2019 and its early ratification of the EU–Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).
Both sides agreed that their traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation have grown steadily through regular exchanges at high level and between parliamentary committees and friendship groups. They looked ahead to 2025, which will mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, pledging to use the occasion to elevate ties to a new level. The two countries emphasised the importance of mutual support at multilateral forums such as the United Nations, ASEAN–EU dialogues and inter-parliamentary mechanisms. Việt Nam reiterated its readiness to serve as a bridge between Romania and ASEAN. They also welcomed progress in parliamentary cooperation, proposing to strengthen exchanges among young and female legislators.
On economic matters, Mr Định noted that bilateral trade turnover has risen by around 20 per cent annually since the EVFTA came into effect, though he stressed the need to unlock further potential. Romanian leaders expressed hope of pushing remaining EU member states to ratify the EVIPA and called on the European Commission to lift its “yellow card” warning on Vietnamese seafood exports. Romania also sought expanded access for its agricultural products, particularly poultry, and urged the early signing of a visa exemption agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders.
Education and training emerged as another key area of cooperation. The two sides recalled that Romania has trained nearly 4,000 Vietnamese experts and continues to provide 20 annual scholarships. Looking ahead, they agreed to prioritise human resource development in high-tech sectors such as information technology, artificial intelligence, oil and gas, and pharmaceuticals. Both countries reaffirmed their support for the peaceful settlement of disputes in the East Sea in line with international law. Mr Định also expressed his gratitude for Romania’s assistance to the Vietnamese community living there, calling for continued support to help them integrate into local society and contribute to bilateral friendship.
As part of his visit, Mr Định attended a ceremony marking Việt Nam’s 80th National Day hosted by Ambassador Đỗ Đức Thành. The event was joined by Minister of Economy Radu-Dinel Miruta, senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and numerous Romanian friends, further underscoring the warmth of relations between the two nations.
