Brussels (VNA) - The state visit to Vietnam by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium from March 31 to April 4 will be an important turning point in strengthening the relationship between the two countries, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Nguyen Van Thao.

Thao, who is head of the Vietnam's Delegation to the European Union, emphasised that although Belgium is a small country, it holds a strategically important position at the heart of Europe, where the administrative and political bodies of the EU are based. With a strong and developed economy, Belgium is among the high-income countries in the EU. It established diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1973, opening up long-term cooperation opportunities between the two countries.

Over the past 50 years, the relationship has achieved significant accomplishments in various fields. However, the diplomat affirmed that the potential for cooperation between Vietnam and the EU in general, and Belgium in particular, remains huge.

Therefore, high-level visits aimed at strengthening political trust and creating new frameworks for cooperation are very important, he said, noting that the King’s upcoming trip, one of his two state visits each year, highlights the special importance of Vietnam in Belgium's foreign relations.

This is also a crucial opportunity to promote cooperation between the two countries, as well as between Vietnam and the EU, he added.

According to the ambassador, after signing the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with the EU, Vietnam closely cooperated with Belgium to establish a strategic partnership in the agricultural sector in 2018.

Since the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) was inked in 2019, the relationship has strengthened significantly, especially in investment and trade. Currently, many Belgian businesses are paying attention to Vietnam, and the delegation accompanying King Philippe during this visit includes 34 CEOs of large corporations and 18 Belgian universities. This reflects Belgium's growing interest in Vietnam as a strategic partner in various fields, including areas where both countries have strengths and cooperation needs, stressed Thao.

He pointed out to three outstanding areas for cooperation between the two nations, namely green transport, sustainable agriculture, and renewable energy.

Health and education are also promising collaboration aspects, Thao affirmed, believing that Belgian universities are attractive choices for Vietnamese students.

Regarding future collaboration, the ambassador expected that numerous opportunities will be opened up, considering the fact that both countries have reached a certain level of development, and need to diversify and expand their cooperation in the current international context. For Vietnam, Belgium plays a crucial role as a gateway to the EU market, a large region with around 450 million people and a total GDP of nearly 17 trillion EUR (18.3 trillion USD). It has strong purchasing power and significant import demand, approximately 3 trillion EUR annually.

ꦰ Moreover, Thao also mentioned that the demand for imports from Vietnam to the EU is very high, which is why Vietnam is currently the EU's largest trade partner in ASEAN. He expressed his belief that with further enhancing cooperation, the two-way trade turnover will not just maintain its current level but will continue to grow strongly in the coming time./.