Participants at the seminar seeking initiatives to strengthen cooperation between Vietnam and Belgium. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam-Belgium FriendshipAssociation on February 23 organised a seminar themed “Innovation development:The future of cooperation between Vietnam and Belgium” as one of the activitiescelebrating the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (March23, 1973 – March 23, 2023).
Participants discussed initiatives and ideas tostrengthen cooperation between the two countries in fields includingculture, diplomacy, trade, education and training, scientific research, andtechnology.
Nguyen Thi Thu Giang, Director of the Europe Department underthe Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO), said that Belgium is oneof the first Western European countries to recognise and officially establishrelations with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on March 23, 1973.
During the 1970s - 1980s, the Government andpeople of Belgium gave Vietnam valuable assistance through aid projects, makingpositive contributions to the construction and socio-economic development ofVietnam. Over the past 50 years, the bilateral relationship has been continuously consolidated and developed in various fields,especially politics - diplomacy, trade, agriculture, education and training,science and technology at the federal, regional, and community levels, shesaid.
Belgium is now Vietnam's sixth largest trading partner in the EUwith a total investment of more than 1.1 billion USD to Vietnam, mainly in thefield of logistics and infrastructure development which Belgium has strengths.
Vietnam and Belgium have been actively cooperating in education, science, technology, transportation, defense and security, and expanding cooperation to tackling global issues like climate change and non-conventional security.
Giang said that during complicated and unpredictable internationaland regional situations, solidarity and a common voice for world peace is animportant factor and needs to be promoted to maintain the stability anddevelopment of each country as well as the whole world.
With the stable foundation for many years, the good traditionalfriendship and people-to-people exchange cooperation between Vietnam andBelgium have been increasingly strengthened including many practicalcontributions by organisations such as Vietnam - Belgium FriendshipAssociation, Belgium - Vietnam Friendship Association, and The BelgianVietnamese Alliance.
However, according to Giang, organisations need toinnovate content, change methods to attract and mobilise more resources.
More activities are needed to promote cultural exchange andconnection between people in Vietnam and Belgium, she said./.
