Brian Jeffrey
On November 19, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man welcomed Alen Simonyan, the Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, during his official visit to Vietnam. This visit is notable as it is the first by Armenia’s legislative leader since the two nations established diplomatic connections over three decades ago.
During their discussions, Chairman Man emphasized Vietnam’s dedication to enhancing its traditional friendship and multi-dimensional cooperation with Armenia. He provided insights into Vietnam’s socio-economic status, highlighting that the National Assembly is currently in its 8th session, where it is addressing key legislative matters.
Chairman Man invited Speaker Simonyan to join the parliamentary session scheduled for the morning of November 20.
In recent years, the relationship between Vietnam and Armenia has improved significantly. Between January and October 2024, trade between the two nations reached nearly $424 million, reflecting a 28.9% increase compared to the same timeframe in 2023.
Armenia has invested in various projects in Vietnam, including a $12.9 million electronics component factory located in Quang Nam. Conversely, Vietnam is encouraging its businesses to invest in Armenia, especially in areas such as agriculture, food processing, and textiles.
Chairman Man highlighted the ample potential for collaboration, urging both countries to leverage the Vietnam-Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement to facilitate significant advancements in economic and trade relations.
He also proposed initiatives like scholarships for student exchanges, fostering cultural interactions, and easing visa regulations to promote tourism and cultural exchanges.
Regarding parliamentary connections, Chairman Man pointed out that interactions between their legislatures are still limited, mostly occurring informally at multilateral conferences. He recommended increasing exchanges of delegations to share legislative practices and enhance institutional support for national development.
Both parties are encouraged to negotiate and enter into agreements to develop a legal framework that supports enhanced collaboration in trade, investment, and cultural exchange.
Speaker Simonyan acknowledged the positive trajectory of their bilateral relations and agreed with Chairman Man’s proposals to strengthen parliamentary ties. He recognized numerous opportunities for expanded Vietnam-Armenia cooperation and expressed Armenia’s willingness to seize these chances.
As part of various bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements, Armenia is actively promoting economic, trade, and investment partnerships with countries around the globe, including Vietnam. During his visit, Speaker Simonyan invited Chairman Man to visit Armenia and expressed his country’s openness to Vietnam’s involvement in intergovernmental discussions on climate change and biodiversity conventions.
Earlier in the day, Speaker Simonyan honored President Ho Chi Minh by laying a wreath at his mausoleum and visiting the Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam, a prominent historical site.
Tran Thuong
