Vietnam, Belgium look to step up trade, investment ties
A forum to promote trade cooperation between Vietnam and Belgium took place in Brussels on June 28, as one of the main economic events between the two countries held after a long hiatus due to the COVID-19 epidemic.
Brussels (VNA) – A forum topromote trade cooperation between Vietnam and Belgium took place in Brussels onJune 28, as oneof the main economic events between the two countries held after a long hiatusdue to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trade Counselor inBelgium Tran Ngoc Quan briefed participants on theinvestment environment in Vietnam at the event during which potential and strengths of Belgianregions were introduced.
According to Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao, there remains great potential for Vietnam and Belgiumto expand their cooperation, especially in agriculture; green growth; seaportand logistics development and innovation.
Vietnamese products introduced at the forum (Photo: VNA)
The two countries should work closelyto create a favourable environment for the business community of both sides toexploit these potentials, he said.
Mariella Cantagalli , an expert fromthe Directorate General for Tradeof the EC, said the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) has facilitated the exchange of trade and import-export between Vietnam and EUmember countries in general, and Belgium in particular.
Vietnam and Belgium has become strategicpartners in agriculture. The two-way trade reached a record of 3.6 billion EUR(nearly 3.8 billion USD) in 2021.
🦩 The trade in the January – May periodthis year hit over 2.1 billion USD, up over 40% year-on-year. Belgium is nowthe fifth largest trade partner of Vietnam in EU, while Vietnam is the secondbiggest partner of the European country in the ASEAN. By the end of May, Belgium had 81 valid projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital ofnearly 1.1 billion USD./.
There are still plenty of room for Vietnam and Belgium to expand cooperation in various areas, Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao told Belgian President of Senate Stephanie D’Hose in Brussels on October 13.
Pierre Gréga, President of the Belgium-Vietnam Friendship Association, has expressed his impression of achievements Vietnam has recorded thanks to its foreign policy.
Vietnam’s Honorary Consular to Belgium Baron De Grand Ry has offered a positive view on the cooperation between Vietnam and Belgium, especially in economy and trade.
Foreign investment between Belgium and West Flanders in Vietnam is still limited due to the lack of information about the country, Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Nguyen Van Thao has said.
Minister-President of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium Rudi Vervoort has affirmed that he will support improved collaboration between the region and Vietnam in general and Vietnamese localities in particular.
A workshop themed “Vietnam as your Green business opportunities destination” was held by the Belgian Vietnamese Alliance (BVA) and the Flanders International Technical Agency (FITA) in Brussels on June 22 to introduce Vietnam’s potential in renewable energy and sustainable port development.
China’s Laoling city, in coordination with VINEXAD, hosted a series of events in Ho Chi Minh City from August 7-9 to seek trade and economic cooperation with Vietnam.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Minh Vu led a delegation to Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri, and Kratie provinces from August 5-8, aiming to deepen economic ties and support Vietnamese businesses operating in Cambodia’s northeastern region.
Party General Secretary To Lam’s upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) is expected to mark a new milestone in the bilateral relationship, creating fresh momentum for trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.
In the context of the growing global digital economy, digital transformation and the promotion of e-commerce are key drivers helping Vietnam boost integration, enhance competitiveness, and expand export markets, according to the Vietnam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency
Tilapia is considered highly competitive in export markets thanks to its affordability, ease of processing, and appeal across both high-end and mass-market segments.
In the first seven months of the year, Phu Tho attracted an impressive 651.7 million USD in foreign direct investment, including 35 newly licensed projects totaling 119 million USD in registered capital and 45 existing projects with an additional capital of 533 million USD.
Under the agreements, VinEnergo will invest in, install, and operate 43 MWp of rooftop solar power capacity and 45 MWh of BESS capacity across the three plants.
Under a draft to amend and supplement the Government's Decree 125/2020/ND-CP on administrative sanctions for violations of tax and invoice regulations, the Ministry of Finance has proposed classifying the failure to issue invoices into five different levels. Infraction levels will correspond to fines of 1 million VND to 80 million VND, depending on the nature and number of invoicing violations.
A new airline developed and invested by Sun Group — has officially announced a strategic partnership with Amadeus IT Group (Amadeus), one of the world’s leading travel technology companies. This agreement not only lays the foundation for a modern digital infrastructure but also marks a pivotal step in SPA’s global expansion strategy, enabling the airline to access international distribution networks and reach customers worldwide.
Of the total, 107,700 were new firms, with combined registered capital of 928.4 trillion VND (35.4 billion USD), up 10.6% in number and 5.5% in capital compared with the same period last year.
Experts agree that a combination of technology, enforcement, education and cross-border cooperation is essential to protect copyrighted content in Vietnam’s growing digital ecosystem.
Poland is Vietnam’s largest export market in Central and Eastern Europe, with key staples including seafood, textiles, footwear, coffee, and cashew nuts.
Cashless payments are growing at an impressive rate, averaging 30–40% annually. Vietnam’s per capita cashless transaction volume now trails only China, with total value of 295.2 quadrillion VND (11.26 trillion USD), or 26 times of its GDP.
A draft resolution on piloting a digital asset and cryptocurrency market is being developed, aiming to create a broad-enough regulatory sandbox that enables investor participation and provides practical grounds for policy refinement in areas such as risk management and anti-money laundering.
Participants at the forum (Photo: VNA) 
Vietnamese products introduced at the forum (Photo: VNA) 
