Vietnamese, Belgian PMs discuss measures to strengthen bilateral ties

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held phone talks with his Belgian counterpart Alexander De Croo on August 25 night.

The two PMs shared delight at the development of the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Belgium over the past 50 years, with the formation of a strategic partnership in agriculture in 2018.

They held that the two countries are boasting great opportunities and prospects to step up cooperation and bring their partnership to a new height in a more practical and effective orientations.

PM Chinh affirmed that Vietnam always supports and creates optimal conditions for foreign investors, including those from Belgium, to do business and cooperate for a long-term in Vietnam.

He proposed Belgium create favourable conditions for Vietnamese farm produce to enter the Belgian and EU markets, while urging the European Commission to soon remove the “yellow card” on Vietnamese seafood, thus benefiting both Vietnamese exporters and consumers in Belgium and the EU.

The Vietnamese leader thanked Belgium for supporting Vietnam over the past time and suggested the European country help speed up the COVAX Facility’s distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to Vietnam as soon as possible; donate or transfer COVID-19 vaccines to; cooperate with Vietnam in COVID-19 vaccine production technology transfer; and provide medicine and medical equipment to help the Southeast Asian nation push back the pandemic.

For his part, PM De Croo agreed with PM Chinh's views on global and equal access to and mutual support in vaccine issues, and pledged to direct its relevant agencies to satisfy the Vietnamese side's proposals in vaccine issues.

The two PMs concurred to continue to create more optimal conditions for the Vietnamese community in Belgium and Belgian citizens in Vietnam, thus promoting the bilateral relationship.

PM Chinh affirmed that Vietnam always respects, protects and ensures  human rights and citizen rights, considering people as the core, the goal and the motivation for development.

Both Vietnamese and Belgian leaders stressed the need to continue strengthen collaboration and mutual support at multilateral forums and international organisations, especially the UN, ASEM, Francophone, and ASEAN-EU partnership.

Regarding the East Sea issue, they underlined the significance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation, and the settlement of disputes through peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as well as the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), towards to the finalisation of a practical and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

PM Chinh invited PM De Croo to visit Vietnam in the near future. PM De Croo accepted the invitation with pleasure and expressed his wish to welcome the Vietnamese leader to Belgium soon./.