Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Nienke Trooster has described the relations between the Netherlands and Vietnam over the past four decades as wonderful and excellent in various fields.

Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Nienke Trooster ( Source: Embassy of the Netherlands in Vietnam)

“If we look at trade and investment, we are doing very well,” the diplomat said in an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency at a recent celebration to mark 45 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The Netherlands is the number one EU investor in Vietnam by registering more than 7 billion USD of investment capital. This will increase even further once the EU- Vietnam Free Trade Agreement comes into effect.

The Netherlands is Vietnam’s second European trade partner, exporting over 959 million USD worth of commodities to the Vietnamese market annually. In turn, Vietnamese exports to the Netherlands amount to nearly 6 billion USD each year.

Vietnam is experiencing high economic growth and is politically stable. Trade between the Netherlands and Vietnam is rapidly growing. For Vietnam, the Netherlands functions as ‘gateway to Europe’, providing additional trade and investment opportunities.

“We will work very intensively with businesses, with the government, with non-governmental organizations, with people in Vietnam,” the diplomat said.

“I would do my utmost to boost the relations of the two countries," she added.

Besides cultural exchange activities to celebrate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations of the two countries in 2018, the Dutch embassy in Vietnam will hold several programmes such as the World Press Photo exhibition – the world most famous of its kind which is slated for June in Hanoi, and Dutch Days in cities across Vietnam, including Hai Phong, Da Lat, and Da Nang.

The Netherlands was one of the first western countries which provided development aid for Vietnam after the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1973, since then bilateral relations have been strengthened via high-level exchanges.

Through exchanges, many bilateral cooperation mechanisms have been approved by the two countries and have proved their effectiveness.

Vietnam and the Netherlands have signed significant agreements, and cooperation accords, providing a legal ground in boosting bilateral relations, including five prioritized areas: climate change adaption and water management, agriculture, oil and gas, marine economics and logistics.

“We have works in many fields, especially water and agriculture, for instance, which are very important topic for our country and also in Vietnam… We can work together and give example to the world,” the Ambassador noted.-VNA