Vietnam, Netherlands boast open, candid relationship: Ambassador

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and the Netherlands boast a good, open and candid relationship, which is seen as a model of relations between Vietnam and a European nation, a diplomat has said.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on the occasion of the 50th founding anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (April 9, 2023), Vietnamese Ambassador to the Netherlands Pham Viet Anh recalled the Netherlands’ support to Vietnam in various spheres when the Southeast Asian nation was facing a host of war-induced challenges.

The two countries are now cooperating equally with joint efforts and for mutual benefits, he continued.

The bilateral relationship has been constantly elevated, Anh said, highlighting the upgrade of the relations to a strategic partnership in several areas like climate change adaptation and water management (in 2010), sustainable agriculture and food security (2014), and most recently the comprehensive partnership (2019).

The diplomat attributed the Netherlands’ important contributions to Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements, particularly in agriculture, climate change response and water management and education-training.

Such cooperation achievements over the past 50 years have created the strength and a foundation for their future collaboration, he said, calling their closeness in awareness and response measures to global challenges a continuation of similarities in situation and mindset shared by the two countries in the past.

“That is not to mention the harmony in the spirit for peace, justice and respect for the core values of humanity,” Anh said, adding “That has prompted the Dutch people to enthusiastically support Vietnam's resistance war against the US, which has become an asset and an important spiritual pedestal for their friendship.”

The ambassador suggested the two countries carry forward such cooperation achievements to contribute to sustainable development and peace of the world.

However, Anh held that the bilateral cooperation has yet to meet expectations of both sides, stressing the relationship is expected to grow more intensively and effectively given Vietnam’s capacity in terms of digital transformation, energy transition, seaport planning and construction, infrastructure connectivity, logistics, high-tech agriculture, and cooperation in high-quality personnel training.

The political ties have built up trust between Vietnam and the Netherlands, motivating them to share viewpoints at multilateral forums, he continued, expressing his belief that their coordination and cooperation at multilateral forums will bring about good results.

Asked about celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties, Anh said preparations have been made by the Vietnamese Embassy and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2022.

In order to strengthen and deepen their cooperation, the two countries should create, consolidate and enhance their mutual trust, while conducting regular consultations and exchanges at all levels, he suggested.

Economic ties between localities, businesses, organisations and research institutes would bring about specific results, and effectively serve national development in each country, which will also create a foundation to foster the mutual trust and the harmony of interests, Anh said.

At the same time, the two countries should uphold their existing cooperation mechanisms, while making them more specific and grow at a higher level, the ambassador noted.

Anh also suggested Vietnamese localities and businesses take a more active role in exploring strengths, orientations and requirements of the Dutch market, and prepare themselves for connectivity with Dutch partners.

He said the official visit to the Netherlands by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in December 2022 has affirmed Vietnam’s determination to forge the cooperation, contributing to tightening and advancing the comprehensive partnership.

In 2023 and the years to come, the two countries will focus on concretising commitments made by the two governments during the above-said visit, especially in climate change response, energy transition and sustainable development.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung opened up cooperation activities this year with a visit to Brainport Eindhoven, dubbed as the Silicon Valley of Europe, in Eindhoven city of the Netherlands, in an effort to concretise a project on building the Vietnam national innovation centre following the Dutch model, Anh said./.