Belgium’s lower house of parliament backs expanding cooperation with Vietnam at all levels, said President of the Chamber of Representatives Siegfried Bracke when meeting with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Brussels on October 17.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc shakes hands with Belgian President of the Chamber of Representatives Siegfried Bracke in their meeting in Brussels on October 17.

At the meeting, both Phuc and Bracke expressed their delight at the development of the Vietnam – Belgium relations over the 45 years of their ties.

The Vietnamese Prime Minister thanked the Belgian Chamber of Representatives for its support in deepening the two countries’ relations, saying the partnership between the two parliaments has played a vital role in enhancing bilateral ties.

Bracke hailed Phuc’s visit as significant to fostering relations and lauded the Vietnamese community in Belgium and their contributions to the ties. He welcomed strengthened collaboration between the two nations in agriculture as it suits both countries’ needs.

Both sides agreed Vietnam and Belgium should work to fulfil their cooperation potential, especially in education, science-technology, maritime transport and clean energy.

Bracke also voiced his support for the early signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), saying it will benefit all parties as it creates an engine to bolster cooperation between Vietnam and EU countries in economics and trade.

The two sides also agreed that all concerned nations must work to maintain peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea and settle disputes via peaceful means in respect of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc is on the final leg of his visit to Belgium from October 16 – 18, being made at the invitation of his Belgian counterpart Charles Michel.

On the occasion of the visit, the two side issued a joint statement, stressing the importance of promoting trade and investment between Vietnam and Belgium and expressed their hope that the EVFTA will soon be signed and ratified.

They agreed to step up bilateral ties in diplomacy, economics, social affairs, trade, education and science and to maintain regular exchanges.

Belgium was among the first Western countries to set up diplomatic relations with Vietnam, following the signing of the Paris Peace Accords, in 1973.

Belgium is now Vietnam’s seventh largest trade partner in the EU, with two-way trade reaching US$2.7 billion last year. As of August 2018, Belgium’s investment in the country was valued at US$900 million.

VOV- Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had working sessions with representatives from EU and Belgian leading firms operating in Vietnam on October 17 as part of his official visit to Belgium.

During the meetings, they informed the Vietnamese leader on outcomes and investment and business plans in the Southeast Asian nation in such fields as oil and gas, renewable energy, agriculture, fertiliser and insecticide production, seaport infrastructure, rubber, and tire production.

They also made recommendations on how to accelerate cooperation between the business communities of Vietnam and the EU, as well as between those of Vietnam and Belgium in particular.

Earlier, on October 16, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc received leaders of Solveigh and Nijhuis – the Dutch businesses with experience in anti-erosion, water exploitation and use and carrying out a climate change adaptation project in central Vietnam.

The PM hailed Solveigh and Nijhuis as well as other Dutch partners in conducting surveys, research and working solutions to minimise coastal erosion in Vietnam. He described their work as a specific action to implement cooperation programmes within the framework of the strategic partnership on adaptation to climate change and water management between Vietnam and the Netherlands.

Menno Holterman, Managing Director of Nijhuis, said the project’s partners inspected erosion in Hoi An and agreed to carry out another project to address challenges in the area. It aims to improve safety and livelihood for locals, and protect and restore Hoi An coast, while forming new eco-system tourist sites there. Investment for this will be arranged by European and Dutch organisations and businesses and Vietnam’s T&T group.

Representatives of the two Dutch groups expressed their wish to continue receiving attention and facilitation from the Prime Minister and relevant agencies of Vietnam during the project’s implementation.

Welcoming proposals of Dutch organisations and businesses, PM Phuc said the Vietnamese Government hopes for experience sharing and support on human resources and technology from the Dutch partners to solve urgent issues in Vietnam, especially coastal and riverbank erosion and subsidence, climate change response, and help local people’s sustainable socio-economic development.

The PM suggested Dutch and Vietnamese partners coordinate with the People’s Committee of Quang Nam province to accelerate the study and survey to have an optimal plan.

The two Dutch groups, T&T group and other partners were asked to work with Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Quang Nam authorities to reach an implementation plan.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Vietnamese Government and the administration of Belgium’s Flemish region on October 17 as part of PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s visit to the European country, confirming the increasingly extensive cooperation between the two sides.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Minister-President of the Government of Flanders Geert Bourgeois

In an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent in Brussels, Minister-President of the Government of Flanders Geert Bourgeois said that the MoU signing came after the first deal inked in 2013, underlining the long-term partnership between Vietnam and Belgium in general and the Flemish Region in particular.

Praising Vietnam’s economic development in the past 30 years, with an impressive GDP growth of 6-7 percent per year, he said that Vietnam should continue updating its international frameworks to attract more foreign investors, which will help Vietnamese firms better integrate into the global value chain.

The Belgian Government will continue to support the early ratification of the EU-Vietnam free trade agreement (EVFTA) which promotes free and fair trade towards sustainable growth among its members, he stressed, expressing his belief that the EVFTA and the freshly-inked MoU are expected to help the Flemish region to double its exports to Vietnam to 1 billion EUR (about US$1.16 billion) over the next three years.

Vietnam is currently the fourth largest export market of Flanders in Southeast Asia. Around 70-80 percent of Belgian shipments to Vietnam come from the region. Last year, Flanders shipped 492 million EUR (nearly US$570 million)  worth of products to Vietnam, up 22.23 percent year-on-year. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s exports to the region surged some 20.86 percent and the figure is expected to rise even further in the future.

In recent times, Vietnamese localities and the Flemish region have enjoyed fruitful cooperation, especially relating to transportation and the environment. Flanders invested 4.4 million EUR (around US$5.1 million) in joint research programmes of the Research Founderation: Flanders (FWO), and Vietnam’s National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED), he added.

The Prime Ministers of Vietnam and Belgium announced at a joint press conference in Brussels on October 16 that they had agreed to promote cooperation between the two countries in multiple fields.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Belgian counterpart Charles Michel co-chaired the press conference following their talks.

The Vietnamese PM said he and PM Charles Michel had agreed to bolster ties in agriculture, eduction-training, culture, transport and facilitation of business and investment, especially when the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement will be signed soon.

He told the press that many Belgian-invested projects in Vietnam have been successful, adding that Vietnam is making constant efforts to improve its investment environment.

He added that Belgian had agreed to push for the signing of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement, thus facilitating trade and investment between the two countries.

Phuc announced that he had invited the Belgian PM to visit Vietnam and his invitation had been accepted.

PM Charles Michel said besides many important issues to bolster the two countries’ economic partnership, especially in trade and investment, the two sides also considered collaboration in education-training and examined the framework to promote Vietnam-EU free trade agreements.

The Belgian PM said Belgium supports Vietnam’s candidacy as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021. The two countries will work together for peace and security in the East Sea, and raise voice to protest unilateral actions that violate peace and international law.

He also said Belgian wants to work with Vietnam in agriculture, helping the Southeast Asian country develop clean agriculture and procedures to ensure food safety.

The two PMs said they had agreed on the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and safety of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.

Disputes should be addressed by peaceful measures, in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), they said.

Following their talks, the leaders witnessed the signing of some cooperation documents between agencies and businesses of the two countries, covering agriculture, food safety, seaport and other spheres.

They include a strategic partnership agreement on agriculture between the two Governments, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on improving food safety and hygiene between the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain, and another MoU on establishing a bilateral political consultation mechanism between the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Belgian Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.

A MoU on cooperation in research of smart port in the northern port city of Hai Phong between Vietnam’s Hateco and Rent-A-Port Group of Belgium and another MoU on cooperation in research of seaport investment and development between Vinalines and Rent-A-Port were also inked on this occasion.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Belgian counterpart, Charles Michel, highlighted the strides in the two countries’ relations in numerous spheres during their talks in Brussels on the afternoon of October 16 (local time).

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Belgian counterpart, Charles Michel, shake hands before their talks in Brussels on October 16

PM Phuc, who is on an official visit to Belgium, said Vietnam will always treasure its friendship and multifaceted cooperation with the European nation. He thanked PM Michel and the Belgian Government for supporting bilateral ties over the years.

Michel noted that the trip – which takes place on the threshold of the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit and amidst the 45th founding anniversary of the countries’ diplomatic ties – will create a new driving force for bilateral connections to grow strongly.

The two PMs said that Vietnam-Belgium relations have enjoyed progress in multiple areas and at many levels, from local to central levels, creating diverse cooperation links that have helped to capitalise on the strength of both sides.

They agreed to increase mutual visits and meetings at all levels. PM Phuc also took this occasion to invite his counterpart to visit Vietnam, and Michel accepted the invitation with pleasure.

At the talks, the leaders agreed to enhance economic partnerships and maintain cooperation mechanisms, such as the Vietnam-Belgium Joint Committee. The two sides will also improve the effectiveness of cooperation projects as well as coordination among mechanisms.

PM Michel said that bilateral trade and investment have continued to expand well, noting that last year’s trade revenue of US$2.7 billion will be a catalyst for Belgium’s trade and investment in Vietnam.

He affirmed his support for the early signing and ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which will provide practical benefits for the EU and form a bridge linking Europe with Southeast Asia and the Asia Pacific.

The PMs emphasised the need to work together to create conditions for connecting Vietnamese and Belgian partners, especially in fields Belgium holds strength and Vietnam has demand for, namely transportation, seaports, logistics services, green technology, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy.

The establishment of a strategic partnership in agriculture and cooperation in food safety and hygiene between the two countries will provide optimal conditions for high-quality Vietnamese agricultural and fishery products to enter Belgium and vice versa. They will also help the agricultural sectors of both sides to expand production and apply high technology to meet sustainability requirements, the leaders said.

They added that Vietnam and Belgium should build on what they have achieved so far in development cooperation and collaboration in education-training, science-technology, justice, and culture.

PM Phuc also called on the Belgian Government to continue favourable conditions for Vietnamese people in the country.

At the event, the two leaders stressed that their countries need to enhance cooperation and mutual support at multilateral forums and international organisations, especially the United Nations.

PM Phuc welcomed the EU and Belgium’s viewpoint on and active role in the East Sea issue. The two sides underscored the importance of peace, stability, and security in the East Sea; the settlement of disputes by peaceful means; and respect for international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.