PM successfully wraps up visits to Germany, Netherlands

Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minster Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his entourage arrived in Hanoi on July 12 morning, concluding his official working visits to Germany and attendance at the G20 Summit and to the Netherlands at the invitation of his German and Dutch counterparts Angela Merkel and Mark Rutte from July 5-11.

PM Phuc had a wide range of activities during his trip to Germany from July 5-8, achieving an array of positive outcomes which contribute to the enhancement of bilateral friendship and cooperative ties, especially in economy, trade and investment, as well as indicating Vietnam’s active contributions to the international integration process via the G20 Summit.

PM Phuc held talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, during which they held that the two nations still hold great potential for cooperation and agreed to create more networking opportunities for Vietnamese and German enterprises at bilateral business forums or at global economic forums.

The two leaders expressed their delight at the positive results of the Vietnam-Germany Business Forum organised during PM Phuc’s visit, with 36 agreements and deals worth 4 billion USD signed.

The PM also met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and President of the Federal Council and Governor of Rheiland-Pfalz state Malu Dreyer and many other leaders of German states.

While addressing a panel discussion of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, on July 7, PM Phuc delivered a strong plea for international cooperation in fighting climate change.

The leader noted that, as the host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2017, Vietnam has pushed the agenda for sustainable development, climate change response and efficient energy use. It is cooperating with APEC member economies to promote inclusive development, he added.

On the sidelines of the G20 Summit, PM Phuc also held bilateral meetings with leaders of G20 member countries, focusing on directions and measures to step up cooperative ties between Vietnam and G20 members.

During his official working visit to the Netherlands from July 8-11, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc held talks with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte, where the two leaders asserted their determination to further promote bilateral ties, especially in prioritised fields such as climate change adaptation and water management, agriculture, oil and gas, seaports and logistics.

PM Phuc met with President of the Senate Ankie Broekers-Knol and Speaker of the House of Representatives Khadija Arib of the Netherlands.

PM Phuc and Dutch Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Lodewijck Asscher attended the Vietnam-Netherlands Business Forum and witnessed the signing of 11 cooperation deals worth 700 million USD between enterprises of the two countries.

The Vietnamese PM also hosted separate receptions for leaders of the World Economic Forum, the Netherlands-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and leading companies of the European country.

The PM’s visits and his attendance at the G20 Summit were a success, creating a new impetus for stronger Vietnam-Germany and Vietnam-Netherlands friendship and cooperative relations in the future.-VNA