Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Brussels on the evening of October 17, where he met with embassy staff, representatives from the overseas Vietnamese community and Vietnamese students in Belgium.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (four from left) meets Vietnamese people in Belgium

Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg, and head of the Vietnamese Mission to the EU Vu Anh Quang briefed the PM on the community’s situation and a range of embassy issues.

Quang said that the embassy’s top priorities are to promote the Vietnam-EU Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation, and further develop friendship and collaboration between Vietnam and Belgium, as well as between Vietnam and Luxembourg.

An estimated 13,000 Vietnamese people live in Belgium, he stated, adding that the community is lauded for abiding by the host country’s law, integrating well into Belgian society and maintaining Vietnam’s culture.

President of the General Association of Vietnamese in Belgium Huynh Cong My shared that Vietnamese people in Belgium are delighted with Vietnam’s achievements in poverty reduction and economic development, and eagerly anticipate an early signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

PM Phuc shared the positive developments with participants, stating that the European Commission (EC) had, on October 17, agreed to adopt the EVFTA and an Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) to submit them to the European Council for approval of the official signing of the documents.

If approved, these documents will be submitted to the European Parliament for ratification, Phuc added.

The agreement will have a huge impact on Vietnam’s development, he affirmed, adding that many European enterprises had already signaled an interest in investing in Vietnam in anticipation of the agreement at the Vietnam-EU Business Forum held the same day.

He also asked the Vietnamese community in Belgium to maintain their traditional culture and continue teaching young people their native Vietnamese language.-VNA