At the invitation of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) President Tulia Ackson and IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong, National Assembly chairman Tran Thanh Man and his wife will attend the 152nd IPU General Assembly (IPU-152) in Istanbul, Turkey. They will also conduct several bilateral activities there and pay an official visit to Italy from 11-17/4, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

National Assembly chairman Tran Thanh Man. Photo: National Assembly Portal

The Inter-Parliamentary Union is an international organization comprising parliaments of sovereign states, with 181 members and 15 associate members. The National Assembly of Vietnam became an IPU member in 4/1979 and served as chairman of the Asia-Pacific Geopolitical Group during the IPU General Assemblies in 2006 and 2016.

Vietnam and Turkey established diplomatic relations on 7/6/1978. Turkey is a leading trade partner for Vietnam in the Middle East and serves as a gateway for Vietnamese exports to the Middle East and Southern Europe markets. Bilateral trade turnover reached nearly 2.3 billion USD in 2025.

As of 12/2025, Turkey had 49 active investment projects in Vietnam, with a total registered capital of nearly 1.75 billion USD, ranking 24th out of 146 countries and territories investing in Vietnam.

Vietnam and Italy established diplomatic relations on 23/3/1973 and a strategic partnership in 1/2013. Two-way trade turnover in 2025 reached approximately 7.3 billion USD, an increase of 6.2% compared to 2024.

Italy is Vietnam's third largest trade partner in the European Union (EU), and Vietnam is Italy's largest trade partner in ASEAN. Currently, approximately 5,500 Vietnamese people live and work in Italy.

Ngoc Anh