Hungary has agreed to support Vietnam in training 1,000 specialists to operate nuclear power plants, following a request from Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

The commitment was announced by Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Szijjártó Péter during his meeting with PM Chinh in Hanoi on Wednesday, according to Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the meeting, Chinh welcomed the strong trade and investment ties between the two countries in recent years despite global and regional uncertainties.

He also noted preparations for the 10th session of the Vietnam-Hungary Joint Committee for Economic Cooperation, which is expected to take place in Hanoi later this year.

Minister Péter expressed admiration for Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements and reaffirmed Hungary’s intention to strengthen its traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam, which he called a key partner in the region.

The two sides discussed a range of cooperation areas including education, mechanical engineering, electronics, tourism, and labor, as well as enhancing railway connectivity between Southeast Asia and Central and Eastern Europe.

Chinh emphasized Vietnam’s urgent need for highly skilled human resources in nuclear power plant operations and expressed hope for Hungary’s support, given its extensive expertise in the field.

On November 30, 2024, Vietnam’s National Assembly approved restarting the country’s nuclear power project after an eight-year hiatus to improve energy security and contribute to its goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

At a meeting in early February, Chinh called for expediting the project, with a target completion date of December 31, 2031 to coincide with major national anniversaries, including the 85th anniversary of Vietnam’s founding and the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

He assigned Vietnam Electricity and PetroVietnam as the project’s investors.

In response, Minister Péter noted that Hungary has 50 years of experience operating nuclear power plants using Russian technology and is ready to assist in training 1,000 Vietnamese experts, calling it a strategic area of cooperation.

According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, operating a nuclear power plant with two reactor units and a combined capacity of 2,000 MW would require 600-1,200 personnel.

The estimate is based on guidance from the International Atomic Energy Agency and various nuclear power corporations. Many key positions require individuals to have five to ten years of hands-on experience.

Chinh also urged Hungary, as an EU member, to support the prompt ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement and push for the removal of the European Commission’s yellow card warning on Vietnamese seafood exports related to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

Both sides agreed to review the legal framework for cooperation and accelerate negotiations on agreements covering citizen repatriation and labor cooperation.

Earlier the same day, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son held talks with Minister Péter to discuss strengthening collaboration across several fields in the years ahead.

They agreed to facilitate trade in agricultural and aquatic products and encouraged Hungarian businesses to invest in areas such as pharmaceuticals, livestock farming, food processing, and water management, where Hungary has expertise and Vietnam has demand.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Hungary, and the seventh year of their comprehensive partnership.

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