Minister-President of Belgium's Flanders region welcomed in Hanoi

ABO/NDO - Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son received Minister-President of Belgium’s Flanders region Geert Bourgeois in Hanoi on May 14.

Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (R) welcomes Minister-President of Belgium’s Flanders region Geert Bourgeois on May 14 (Photo: VNA).

At the reception, the two sides expressed their delight at the comprehensive and practical developments of Vietnam-Belgium relationship since the two countries set up diplomatic ties 45 years ago, especially cooperation between their localities.

Son spoke highly of the collaboration between Vietnam and the Flanders region, with investment projects in infrastructure, energy and agriculture.

Welcoming the Flanders Minister-President’s visit to Vietnam from May 13-17, Son said that the two sides see many advantages to develop cooperation in the time to come, especially in such priority areas as infrastructure, renewable energy, agriculture, food industry, human resources training, digital economy and trade.

For his part, Geert Bourgeois appreciated Vietnam’s efforts in improving business and investment environment as well as its socio-economic development achievements, considering them important premises to boost win-win collaboration between Vietnam and the Flanders region.

He affirmed that Flanders always regards Vietnam as a priority partner in the region, suggesting a number of fields that the two sides can join hands in the future, including port logistics, transport, farm produce processing and training.

The Minister-President affirmed his support for trade liberalisation and vowed to back Vietnam to strengthen its comprehensive relationship with the EU, particular the early signing and ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) in 2018.

The early implementation of the EVFTA will bring practical benefits to businesses of both sides, he noted.

At the meeting, the two sides agreed to soon sign a new cooperation document to replace the old one, which was inked in 2013.

(Source: NDO)