Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh holds phone talks with his Belgian counterpart Alexander De Croo on August 25 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held phone talks with his Belgian counterpart AlexanderDe Croo on August 25 night.
The two PMs shared delight at the development of the traditionalfriendship between Vietnam and Belgium over the past 50 years, with theformation of a strategic partnership in agriculture in 2018.
They held that the two countries are boasting greatopportunities and prospects to step up cooperation and bring their partnership to a new height in a more practical andeffective orientations.
PM Chinh affirmed that Vietnam always supports and createsoptimal conditions for foreign investors, including those from Belgium, to do business and cooperate for along-term in Vietnam.
He proposed Belgium create favourable conditions forVietnamese farm produce to enter the Belgian and EU markets, while urgingthe European Commission to soon remove the “yellow card” on Vietnamese seafood, thusbenefiting both Vietnamese exporters and consumers in Belgium and the EU.
The Vietnamese leader thanked Belgium forsupporting Vietnam over the past time and suggested the European country help speed upthe COVAX Facility’s distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to Vietnam as soon as possible; donate or transfer COVID-19 vaccines to; cooperatewith Vietnam in COVID-19 vaccine production technology transfer; and provide medicine andmedical equipment to help the Southeast Asian nation push back the pandemic.
For his part, PM De Croo agreed with PM Chinh's views on global and equal access to and mutual support in vaccine issues,and pledged to direct its relevant agencies to satisfy the Vietnamese side's proposals invaccine issues.
The two PMs concurred to continue to create more optimal conditions for the Vietnamese communityin Belgium and Belgian citizens in Vietnam, thus promoting the bilateralrelationship.
PM Chinh affirmed that Vietnam always respects, protects and ensures human rights and citizen rights, considering people as the core, the goal and themotivation for development.
Both Vietnamese and Belgian leaders stressed the need tocontinue strengthen collaboration and mutual support at multilateral forums andinternational organisations, especially the UN, ASEM, Francophone,and ASEAN-EU partnership.
Regarding the East Sea issue, they underlined thesignificance of maintaining peace, stability, security,safety and freedom of navigation and aviation, and the settlement of disputes through peaceful measures inline with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Lawof the Sea (UNCLOS) as well as the full and effective implementation of theDeclaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), towards to thefinalisation of a practical and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
PM Chinh invited PM De Croo to visit Vietnam in the near future. PM De Croo accepted the invitation with pleasure and expressed his wish to welcome theVietnamese leader to Belgium soon./.
Belgian enterprises expressed their interest in Vietnam’s economic prospects and business cooperation opportunities in the Southeast Asian country at a talk held in Brussels on April 22.
Vietnam is a priority partner of Belgium in many fields and bilateral cooperation has recorded fruitful developments, matching the demand and strengths of the two countries, a Belgian politician has said.
The vietnam-briefing.com published by Dezan Shira & Associates - a consultancy firm on foreign investment in Asia - on May 6 run an article, emphasising that since the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) took effect in August 2020, Belgium has played a significant role in promoting trade and foreign investments into Vietnam.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh holds phone talks with his Belgian counterpart Alexander De Croo on August 25 (Photo: VNA) 
