A delegation of the National Assembly’s Committee for External Affairs led by its Chairman Tran Van Hang has paid working visits to Mexico and Colombia.

National Assembly’s Committee for External Affairs Chairman Tran Van Hang.

While in Mexico from December 3-6, Chairman Hang and his entourage held talks with Senator Teofilo Torres Corzo, Chairman of the Mexican Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee for Asia Pacific, and had meetings with Senator Jose Rosas Aispuro, Vice President of the Congress of the Union’s Senate; Carlos Alberto de Icaza Gonzalez, First Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, and Alberto Anaya Gutierrez, General Secretary of Workers’ Party (PT).

Chairman Hang also attended a plenary session of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies and had a working session with the Mexico-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group.

During the meetings, the Mexican side highlighted Vietnam’s achievements in poverty reduction and expressed the wish to learn experience from the Southeast Asian nation.

Mexico highly valued Vietnam’s role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and hoped that Vietnam will act as a bridge linking Mexico and other ASEAN member countries.

Senator Teofilo Torres Corzo emphasised Vietnam’s position in Mexico’s external policies, saying that the parliament and government speak highly of Vietnam’s efforts to boost their bilateral ties.

The Mexican side congratulated Vietnam on hosting the 132nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-132) General Assembly in March 2015, and reaffirmed its support for Vietnam at international forums.

On his part, Chairman Hang briefed the host of the Vietnamese National Assembly’s activities and conveyed NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung’s invitation to leaders of Mexico’s Senate and Chamber of Deputies to attend the IPU-132 General Assembly.

During working sessions, both sides agreed to speed up the negotiation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) in a bid to reach a signing in June 2015 at the latest.

Furthermore, the two nations should boost cooperation at local levels and jointly hold activities to promote the ties in the coming time, especially on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Vietnam-Mexico diplomatic ties in 2015.

Before visiting Mexico, Chairman Hang visited Colombia where he was warmly received by Congress President Jose David Name Cardozo and President of the Chamber of Representatives Fabio Raul Amin Saleme.

The Colombian leaders expressed their hope to further enhance all-round ties with Vietnam and that Vietnam will serve as a bridge to help Colombia make inroads into other ASEAN member countries.

Hang conveyed NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung’s invitation to Colombia’s parliament leaders to attend IPU-132 General Assembly. The Colombia accepted with pleasure and said that that this will be an opportunity for the two sides to increase friendship and connection.

VNA/VNN