Vietnam attaches importance to ties with Belgium, a founding member with an important role in the European Union, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told King Philippe of Belgium during their meeting in Brussels on October 18. 

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and King Philippe of Belgium

PM Phuc, who has been on an official visit to Belgium, informed the King about the outcomes of his talks with Prime Minister Charles Michel and his discussions with leaders of the parliament, regions, and communities of Belgium. 

He affirmed that Vietnam always welcomes and creates favourable conditions for Belgian enterprises to do business in the Southeast Asian country. 

King Philippe welcomed the PM’s visit which coincides with the 45th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties. He recalled his first visit to Vietnam in 1994 and led delegations of Belgian enterprises to the country to form linkages and launch projects to improve lives of local residents in the Mekong Delta. 

The King asserted that he always treasures relations with Vietnam and expressed his interest in Vietnam’s efforts to cope with climate change, saying that Belgium is ready to transfer technologies to Vietnam to mitigate the impacts of climate change. 

Host and guest shared the view that bilateral ties are growing positively in diverse areas, especially in economy, trade, and investment with nearly 70 successful projects in Vietnam. 

They stressed the need to step up bilateral collaboration in fields of Belgium’s strength and Vietnam’s demand such as high-tech agriculture, green technology, renewable energy, healthcare, and education-training.

PM meets former Belgian Foreign Minister

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) shakes hands with Belgium's former Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had a meeting on October 18 with Steven Vanackere, former Belgian Foreign Minister and head of a group of parliamentarians from the Flemish Christian Democratic Party, who has made great contributions to the growth of the Vietnam-Belgium relationship.

PM Phuc, who is on an official visit to Belgium, told Vanackere that Vietnam and Belgium have agreed on a number of measures to strengthen their cooperation in the future, including the hastening of the signing of a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the EU.

Noting that the former Belgian minister has rich experience in the field, the PM expressed his hope to receive support and cooperation from Vanackere.

For his part, Vanackere affirmed that he is willing to assist Vietnam, adding that as a country with certain influences in the EU, Belgium has a strong voice regarding the signing of the deal.

The former official asserted that Vietnam and Belgium boast great potential to further promote their partnership. He said Belgian enterprises are strong in seaports and logistics, which makes them suitable partners to Vietnam.

At the same time, Vietnam has recorded various progresses in sustainable growth, while Belgium has many large firms in science and technology, and as such the two sides should supplement each other in this field.

Belgium hopes to receive more Vietnamese students, he added.

Vanackere held that the European Council (EC)’s approval of the free trade agreement with Vietnam shows the union’s goodwill and aspiration to promote the deal, underscoring that the two sides should maintain a regular exchange of information. Vietnam should provide further information on its achievements and efforts in socio-economic development, with its open and reforming government, he said.

PM Phuc agreed with Vanackere on the substantial cooperation potential between the two sides, including in Vietnam’s strengths of processing industry and agriculture.

The Government leader declared that Vietnam is ready to import some of Belgian’s strongest products.

Vietnam currently has 250 postgraduates studying in Belgium, he noted, holding that the figure will continue to rise, contributing to enhancing the human resource quality of Vietnam.

He told the former Belgian FM that during his visit, businesses of the two countries have signed many investment cooperation deals, while heads of major regions and enterprises of Belgium also showed their hope to foster affiliation with Vietnam on a win-win basis.

Stating that the EC’s approval of the EU-Vietnam free trade agreement is good news and will benefit both sides, he stressed Vietnam’s standpoint of actively integrating into the world and exerting more efforts in the field.

VNA