Prime Minister arrives in Brussels for visit to Belgium, EU
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his entourage arrived in the Brussels Military Airport on December 2, beginning his working visit to Belgium and the EU.
Brussels (VNA)ꦛ –Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his entourage arrived in the Brussels Military Airport on December 2, beginning his working visit to Belgium and the EU.
The PM was welcomed at the airport by Ambassador to Belgium Vuong Thua Phong, who is also head of the Vietnamese Delegation to the EU, the Vietnamese Embassy’s staff and representatives of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Right after his arrival, PM Nguyen Tan Dung held a meeting with the staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Belgium.
Briefing them on the homeland’s socio-economic situation, the leader attributed such achievements Vietnam has recorded in national construction and defence to efforts of the whole Party, army and people, including contributions of overseas Vietnamese – an integral part of the nation.
He expressed his hope that the Vietnamese nationals in Belgium will carry forward the solidarity to support each other in the host country and better perform their role as a bridge promoting cooperation between Vietnam and the European nation in all areas.
The PM called on them to join hands with people at home to realise the goal of a wealthy people and a strong, democratic, equal and civilised country.
During his stay in Belgium, PM Nguyen Tan Dung is expected to hold talks with PM Charles Michel.
Two-way trade between Vietnam and Belgium has seen sustainable growth, increasing to 2.3 billion USD in 2014 from 395.4 million USD in 2000. The figure reached 1.5 billion USD in the first eight months of 2015.
The two countries signed an investment encouragement and protection agreement in 1991. By October, Belgium had run 59 projects worth 420 million USD in Vietnam, while Vietnam has invested in two projects in the European country.
In Belgium, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung is scheduled to meet the Presidents of the European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament to discuss cooperation opportunities in the fields of energy, green growth and vocational training.
Vietnam and the EU officially established their diplomatic ties on November 28, 1990. A series of activities have been held throughout this year to celebrate the 25 th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations.
The EU is Vietnam’s second largest trade partner, after China, and its second biggest importer, following the US. Two-way trade increased eightfold from 4.5 billion USD in 2001 to 36.8 billion USD in 2014. Turnover hit 30.8 billion USD between January and September, a year-on-year rise of 15.5 percent, of which 22.6 billion USD came from Vietnam’s exports.
The EU is also one of the big ODA suppliers for Vietnam. Between 1993 and 2013, the EC and EU members committed to providing nearly 14 billion USD in ODA for Vietnam, accounting for 20 percent of the total amount committed by the international community.
Between 2014 and 2020, the EC pledged to provide 400 million EUR (423.5 million USD) for the Southeast Asian country, with a focus on sustainable energy and institutional affairs.-VNA
A Master’s Degree Programme between Vietnam and Belgium celebrated its 20-year implementation at the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management under the Free University of Brussels on Oct 21.
Vietnam and Belgium have agreed to foster links between their business communities towards greater affiliation, including in the form of public-private partnership (PPP) .
A recent Vietnam visit by a Belgian delegation, led by Senate President Christine Defraigne, has helped deepen ties between the two nations and people.
Wallonie-Bruxelles will support Vietnam with more than 2 million EUR to implement 18 projects within the competence of the Belgian region’s French-speaking community between 2016 and 2018.
Vietnam appreciated multi-faceted cooperation with Belgium, particularly in economics, trade, investment, said Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, who is also a Politburo member and Secretary of the Government Party Committee, attended the 4th Party Congress of the EVN Party Organisation for the 2025–2030 tenure on August 10, directing EVN to ensure power supply to meet the country’s development demands with double-digit growth set for the coming years.
Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, along with a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam arrived in Seongnam Air Base in Seoul on August 10 afternoon (local time), beginning a state visit to the Republic of Korea from August 10-13.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (Source: VNA)
