Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Jean Asselborn, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg in Hanoi on June 14 (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam always regards Luxembourg as an important friend and partner, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at his reception for Jean Asselborn, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg in Hanoi on June 14.
Minister Jean Asselborn said this is the fifth time he has visited Vietnam since 2004 and he will spend time touring the country in his upcoming visits.
PM Phuc welcomed the signing of a framework agreement on cooperation between the two governments, saying it creates a cooperation framework suitable for the new situation, especially in cooperation for development and climate change response support.
He spoke highly of Luxembourg as the fifth biggest European Union investor in Vietnam and expressed his hope that the two countries will work to facilitate their businesses to meet and partner in the fields of finance-banking, tourism, and green growth.
The two countries should push up the completion of all remaining issues of the Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) and launch relevant procedures to sign the Free Trade Agreement on the sidelines of the upcoming 12th ASEM, the leader said.
Vietnam has treasured and thanked Luxembourg for providing it with non-refundable aid worth 124 million Euros from 1995 to 2015, he said.
He expected that the European country will continue aiding Vietnam in responding to climate change, and speed up cooperation with Vietnam in building and developing the financial and banking markets as it has a lot of experience and has carried out a number of efficient cooperative programmes with Vietnam in the field.
Minister Jean Asselborn said Luxembourg’s maintenance of ODA provision for Vietnam over the past 25 years showed its respect to developing the ties with Vietnam.
He expressed his delight at the growing trade value between the two countries and pledged that his country will work together with Vietnam to raise the value.
He spoke highly of PM Phuc’s speech relating to environmental protection at the recent G7 Outreach Summit and offered the sharing of his country’s experience in green bond model for application in Vietnam.
He expected that the EU and Vietnam will soon sign their free trade agreement to facilitate the stronger cooperation between Vietnam and other EU members in the future. -VNA
VNA
