During a working luncheon with Minister-President of Flanders and Flemish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Culture, ICT and Facility Management Jan Jambon in Brussels on December 15 (local time), PM Chinh said fine political ties between Vietnam and Belgium over the past five decades provide a firm foundation for cooperation between Flanders region and Vietnam to grow.

He highlighted several realms such as green development, digital transformation, circular economy, intellectual economy and response to emerging issues such as pandemics and climate change as both challenges and opportunities of the era.

The Vietnamese leader pledged to create an open investment environment and complete the legal system for effective investment, in the spirit of harmonising interests and sharing risks between the State, people and businesses.

Jambon, for his part, said the Flanders region is strong in shipbuilding, agriculture, hi-tech and clean energy. Its firms are actively teaming up with Vietnamese partners, particularly in maritime transport and logistics.

He spoke highly of business potentials in Vietnam, especially with the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, one of the most comprehensive and ambitious pacts that the EU signed with an emerging economy.

Expressing his impression on Vietnam’s strong commitments in climate change response, he said Flanders region is ready to boost cooperation with the country in this regard.

Also at the event, PM Chinh witnessed the signing of a letter of intent on cooperation between Vietnam’s VinFast Group and Belgium’s Facil.

PM attends Vietnam-Belgium Business Forum in Brussels

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended a Vietnam-Belgium Business Forum in Brussels on December 15 (local time), within the framework of his official visit to the European country.

Speaking at the event, PM Chinh said that the Vietnam-Belgium relations are developing well in all fields. Two-way trade is estimated to reach nearly 5 billion USD this year. The European nation has so far invested 1.1 billion USD in the Southeast Asian country.

Belgium is also considered one of the gateway markets to the EU for Vietnam's important exports, he stressed.

In 2022, thanks to the effective control of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam has gained important socio-economic development achievements, including stable macro economy, curbed inflation, positive economic growth, and major balances ensured.

Chinh stressed that Vietnam has implemented a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation, and being a good friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member of the international community; and is determined to build an independent, self-reliant economy which is integrating into the international community actively, practically and effectively.

“This is a very important foundation, creating more motivation and confidence for businesses to feel secure in production and business; and promote economic, trade and investment cooperation for extensive development, thus bringing practical benefits to the two peoples”, the Prime Minister emphasised.

He expressed his hope that Belgian and European firms continue diversifying products, markets and supply chains to promote effective and sustainable production and business in Vietnam.

He suggested them maintain investment and call on more firms to pour capital into his country, with priority given to innovation and start-ups, digital transformation, climate change response, circular economy, infrastructure, logistics, and hi-tech agriculture.

Chinh appreciated the successful investment activities of these enterprises in Vietnam, suggesting them continue to expand investment in various fields. He pledged to assign relevant agencies to consider proposals made by the firms.

Belgian groups urged to expand operations in Vietnam

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has called on businesses and groups from Belgium’s Wallonia region to expand their operations in Vietnam in new areas as well as introduce other firms to the country.

During a working breakfast with Vice-President of Wallonia and Minister of Economy, Foreign Trade, Spatial Planning and Agriculture Willy Borsus and several Belgian corporate executives on December 15, PM Chinh said he and his Belgian counterpart had agreed in their recent talks to lift bilateral ties to a new height.

The PM also highlighted the good relations between the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in which Vietnam is a member. The EU is the first developed economy to sign an FTA with the ASEAN. Vietnam, along with Singapore, also has a bilateral FTA with the EU.

He hailed Wallonia as an important region of Belgium with strengths in hi-tech agriculture, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy and the environment which suit Vietnam’s directions in attracting foreign investment, which means there is great room for bilateral cooperation in the future.

PM Chinh said both sides should continue pushing ahead with effective cooperation in vaccines and education-training, and advance their joint work in emerging areas such as the green and circular economy, digital transformation and logistics.

He also asked the Wallonia region to enhance tertiary education cooperation with Vietnam, provide more scholarships for Vietnamese students, and boost collaboration with Vietnamese vocational schools.

Chinh welcomed an idea of Wallonia officials and businesses on building a preservation and transport centre for Vietnamese goods, especially seasonal fruits, and assigned Vietnamese agencies to work closely with Belgian agencies and businesses to realise the idea.

Borsus, for his part, hailed Vietnam as the fourth largest trade partner of Wallonia and a priority partner of the French-speaking Belgian community in the region in terms of healthcare, socio-economy, culture and science.

Wallonia companies wish to advance cooperation with Vietnam in healthcare, medicine production and distribution, vaccines, agriculture, food processing, energy and tertiary education, he said.

He added that he is looking forward to welcoming more Vietnamese investors to the region and is ready to help Vietnam set up a goods and farm produce distribution centre, thus enabling Vietnamese products to penetrate the European market.

A representative of the John Cockerill group also pledged to consider PM Chinh’s proposal to build a research and development centre and train the workforce in Vietnam. Founded in 1817, the group specialises in green hydrogen technology and renewable energy.

The Vietnamese leader also answered questions raised by Belgian enterprises at the event./ VNA