Vietnam and Switzerland pledge to boost legislative collaboration
In a significant development, Vietnam's National Assembly Chairman, Tran Thanh Man, held talks with Maja Riniker, President of the Swiss National Council, in Geneva on July 29, 2025. The discussions focused on enhancing legislative cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the areas of finance, banking, digital banking, digital assets, blockchain, and fintech.
Tran Thanh Man emphasized the importance of promoting legislative collaboration in lawmaking related to these modern financial technologies and digital sectors. He suggested closer consultation between the two countries at multilateral and regional parliamentary forums, such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Francophone Parliamentary Assembly.
Swiss Council of States President, Andrea Caroni, welcomed Tran Thanh Man in Geneva, while Maja Riniker congratulated Vietnam on its significant achievements and growing international stature. She expressed hope for the signing of the Vietnam-EFTA agreement to expand trade cooperation.
The current status of legislative cooperation between Vietnam and Switzerland is actively advancing. This cooperation is expected to support expanding trade and economic relations, reinforced by momentum from Vietnam’s accession to the WTO and ongoing Free Trade Agreement negotiations between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), of which Switzerland is a member. Swiss investments in Vietnam have exceeded 2 billion USD, highlighting strong economic potential underpinning legislative collaboration.
Tran Thanh Man also proposed strengthening regular meetings between the two countries' parliaments to further strengthen bilateral ties, an idea supported by Maja Riniker. The NA Chairman confirmed that the Vietnamese National Assembly was keenly aware of this and continuously worked to improve the legal system, learning from international friends including Switzerland.
Trần Thanh Mã̃n stressed that any nation's achievements must be built on a strong legal foundation, as this is essential for ensuring a secure and prosperous life for its people. He noted Vietnam's appreciation for Switzerland's role within the IPU and the importance of its relations with the union. Engaging in IPU frameworks provides opportunities for the Vietnamese National Assembly to update, learn, and improve its legislative capacity.
To strengthen the comprehensive partnership officially upgraded in January, Tran Thanh Man proposed increasing delegation exchanges, inviting Maja Riniker to visit Vietnam for the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties, and promoting exchanges among specialised committees and parliamentary groups. He also expressed gratitude for Switzerland's support in Vietnam's fight against COVID-19 and Typhoon Yagi.
Maja Riniker thanked the Vietnamese National Assembly for the warm reception during her visit to Vietnam and praised the progress in bilateral relations. She also expressed gratitude for Vietnam's warm welcome during her visit to Switzerland. The discussions concluded on a positive note, with both parties looking forward to deepening their cooperation in the future.
[1] Source: Vietnam News Agency [2] Source: Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
- Tran Thanh Man emphasized the need for legislative collaboration in modern financial technologies and digital sectors, suggesting closer consultation at multilateral and regional parliamentary forums like the IPU and the Francophone Parliamentary Assembly.
- The ongoing legislative cooperation between Vietnam and Switzerland is expected to support expanding trade and economic relations, with Swiss investments in Vietnam already exceeding 2 billion USD.
- Tran Thanh Man proposed strengthening regular meetings between the two countries' parliaments to further strengthen bilateral ties and enhance legislative capacity, an idea supported by Maja Riniker.
- Tran Thanh Man stressed the importance of a strong legal foundation for a nation's prosperity and appreciated Switzerland's role within the IPU for providing opportunities to update, learn, and improve legislative capacity.
- Maja Riniker expressed hope for the signing of the Vietnam-EFTA agreement to expand trade cooperation and congratulated Vietnam on its significant achievements and growing international stature.
- Tran Thanh Man proposed increasing delegation exchanges, inviting Maja Riniker to visit Vietnam for the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties, and promoting exchanges among specialised committees and parliamentary groups to deepen their cooperation in the future.
