(VOVWORLD) -Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse, and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam arrived in Budapest on Thursday, beginning an official visit to Hungary at the invitation of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
 At the welcoming ceremony, the two Prime Ministers inspect the Guard of Honor and greet officials of the two countries. Photo: VOV
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Later in the afternoon, at the Hungarian Parliament Square in Budapest, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban chaired the official welcoming ceremony for Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife. After the welcoming ceremony, the two leaders had a meeting to discuss major directions and specific measures to raise the Vietnam-Hungary Comprehensive Partnership to new heights.
 Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban holds talks with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. Photo: VOV
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On politic-diplomatic cooperation, the two sides agreed to increase contacts and delegation exchanges at all levels. Regarding economic-trade-investment collaboration, they stressed the need to further promote existing cooperation mechanisms and encouraged agencies and businesses of both sides to continue fully, effectively implement the European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
PM Orban affirmed that Hungary, as President of the EU for the last six months of 2024, will promote the remaining countries to ratify the agreement. He vowed to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to invest in Hungary in such potential areas as information technology and auto industry.
The two sides concurred to enhance cooperation in other traditional areas such as culture-sports-tourism, labor, science-technology, environment, agriculture and water management, while striving to expand collaboration in new fields such as circular economy, innovation, green finance, renewable energy and digital transformation.
PM Chinh proposed the Hungarian government continue creating favorable conditions for the Vietnamese expats to deeply integrate into local society.
Discussing international and regional issues of shared concern, the two PMs affirmed to support resolving disputes by peaceful measures, in line with international law and the United Nations Charter, including not using force or threatening to use force; and ensuring peace, stability and development in the region and the world.
 Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban co-chair the press conference announcing the outcomes of their talks. Photo: VOV
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Following the talks, both PMs witnessed the signing and hand-over of cooperation documents, including an agreement between the two governments on cooperation in combating organized transnational crimes, a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and a cultural cooperation program between the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Hungarian Ministry of Culture and Innovation for the 2024-2026 period.
Afterwards, the two PMs co-chaired a press conference announcing the outcomes of their talks.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said the two sides agreed to promote economic, investment, and trade cooperation and are determined to soon reach two-way trade turnover of 2 billion USD.
PM Chinh added he called on Hungary to support ASEAN’s stance on and centrality in the East Sea issue, which are peacefully resolving disputes in line with international law, ensuring security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea; and supporting the effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the negotiation on a substantive and effective code of conduct in the waters (COC).
PM Orban told the media that both sides agreed to further enhance cooperation in all spheres, including making use of the EVFTA and EVIPA and boosting ties in education, training, science, technology, and tourism.