Politics

Vietnam, Belgium seek to expand cooperation after over 50 years of friendship

Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Nguyen Huong Tra pledged to contribute to further strengthening the friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, building on their achievements and the special affection the King and Queen have shown towards Vietnam.

Nguyễn Bích Hường
Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Nguyen Huong Tra presents her credentials to King Philippe on October 7, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Belgian Royal Court)
Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Nguyen Huong Tra presents her credentials to King Philippe on October 7, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Belgian Royal Court)

Brussels (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Nguyen Huong Tra presented her credentials to King Philippe on October 7, officially beginning her tenure in the European country.

The ceremony was held in accordance with the Belgian Royal Court’s traditional protocol.

Following the ceremony, Tra conveyed greetings from Vietnamese leaders to King Philippe and pledged to contribute to further strengthening the friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, building on their achievements and the special affection the King and Queen have shown towards Vietnam.

Vietnam and Belgium established diplomatic relations on March 22, 1973, two months after the signing of the Paris Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring in Vietnam (Paris Peace Accords). Over more than five decades, the two countries have maintained friendly ties and cooperation across various fields.

Bilateral relations gained fresh momentum following the state visit to Vietnam by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde in 2025. During the trip, the King highlighted the links between the two countries’ past, present and future, built on mutual understanding and long-standing cooperation.

Belgium is currently Vietnam’s sixth-largest trading partner in the European Union (EU). As home to EU institutions and the Port of Antwerp, one of Europe’s major maritime gateways, Belgium plays an important role in connecting Vietnamese goods with the EU market, particularly under the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Tra’s tenure comes amid new opportunities to expand cooperation in trade, investment, logistics, agriculture, science and technology, green transition, education and people-to-people exchanges. The Vietnamese community in Belgium is also expected to continue serving as a bridge between the two countries./.

Nguyễn Bích Hường
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