Hungarian Ambassador to Vietnam Baloghdi Tibor  (C) and Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang (light yellow Ao Dai) at the celebration of the National Day of Hungary in Hanoi (Photo credit: the Embassy of Hungary in Vietnam)

Bao Tram: Vietnam-Hungary relations have stood the test of time over the past 73 years. What are the high points of cooperation between the two nations?

Ambassador Tibor: Since 1950, Vietnam and Hungary have collaborated extensively in a variety of fields. The roots of our relationship run deep: Hungary participated in the International Commission of Control and Supervision of the Paris Agreement's implementation in Vietnam fifty years ago. Hungary also assisted in the reconstruction of Vietnam by providing science and technology training to 3,500 Vietnamese professionals. This long-standing friendship remained solid following Hungary's institutional transition in the 1990s. As a testament to the continuous development of their ties, the two upgraded their relationship in 2018 to a comprehensive partnership. The pillars of this comprehensive partnership are shared national interest and mutual respect.

During these decades, educational, cultural and economic ties developed steadily. Since 2018, 200 Vietnamese students have had the opportunity to study at top-tier Hungarian universities in the framework of the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship program, strengthening the cross-cultural and academic ties between Hungary and Vietnam. 

Allow me to point to a number of recent examples of cultural ties. Just last month, the first co-produced Vietnamese-Hungarian movie was released in cinemas in Hungary. Last year also saw the arrival of the first visiting Hungarian professor to a Vietnamese university. Moreover, we have organized a cultural event called "Hungarian Day" on March 11 near Hoan Kiem Lake. Visitors had enjoyed traditional Hungarian food, heard live Hungarian music, and watched films of Hungarian folk tales in the evening. In order to host more cultural events like this in the future, we plan to work closely with the local government. 

Bao Tram: During Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue’s visit to Hungary last June, he and Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán agreed to develop two-way trade in a “balanced manner” while creating favorable conditions to access each other’s market. What does "balanced manner" mean here?

Ambassador Tibor: Vietnamese exports to Hungary are significantly higher than Hungarian exports to Vietnam. Vietnam's exports to Hungary increased from 124.2 million USD in 2016 to 1 billion USD in 2020. The smaller volume of Hungarian exports to Vietnam is concentrated in specific industries like agriculture and pharmaceuticals – we plan to broaden the range of sectors in which Hungary can export goods. The two nations are working to identify new sectors where the possibility of mutually beneficial trade activities will be explored in the spirit of shared interest and mutual respect. 

I’ll mention a specific, very important example: This year Vietnam extended the validity of existing marketing authorizations of pharmaceutical products until 2024, so Hungarian pharma exporters can avoid the complex procedures for renewing their marketing authorizations. The beneficiaries are the consumers here in Vietnam (as they will have a wider range of products available to them), and makes market access easier for Hungarian pharma companies. This is a positive result of the EVFTA and EVIPA between Vietnam and the EU. Hungary was one of the first countries to ratify the EVIPA and the EVFTA.

Bao Tram: Which areas of cooperation will you focus on during your tenure?

Ambassador Tibor: I aspire to do my utmost to strengthen Hungary's bilateral relations with Vietnam over the next four years as well as identify new opportunities for collaboration. I also would like to promote Hungarian culture in Vietnam to a wider audience by organizing events that portray the unique cultural landscape of Hungary. I believe that the true friendship of our two nations is something rare in the world today, and I hope to contribute to this long-standing relationship by all possible means.

Bao Tram:  Thank you, Mr. Ambassador, for granting VOV this interview.

Ambassador Tibor: Thank you very much.