Brussels (VNA) – Vietnam regardsits relationship with the European Union (EU) as a priority in its foreignpolicy, Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium and head of the Vietnamese mission tothe EU Vu Anh Quang has said.

The diplomat made the statement in aninterview with the Vietnam  News Agencyahead of the visit to the European Parliament (EP) by Chairwoman of theVietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

The visit takes place with relations betweenVietnam and the EU as well as the EP in particular at their best level ever,Quang noted.

He said Vietnam and the EU signed andapproved the Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation (PCA),which was ratified by the EP and the Vietnamese legislature in late 2016.

The two sides have also completednegotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) and an investment protectiondeal, which were passed by the European Commission (EC) and submitted to theEuropean Council for consideration.

The documents will also be sent to the EPand the Vietnamese legislature for approval in the future.  

Vietnam is the second country in theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), after Singapore, to reach a FTAand an investment protection agreement with the EU, the ambassador said.

Quang highlighted increasing trade betweenVietnam and the EU, saying the EU is Vietnam’s second largest trade partner,after China, and the country’s second biggest importer, after the US.

In 2018, two-way trade exceeded 55 billionUSD. Vietnam ranked second in ASEAN, after Singapore, in terms of trade revenuewith the EU.

Besides, the EU has maintained its positionas Vietnam’s fifth largest investor, with total capital exceeding 45 millionUSD at present, the diplomat said

He praised the development of the Vietnam-EUrelations in other spheres like political dialogues and security and defencecooperation, emphasising that few ASEAN member countries have similar relationswith the EU.

The Vietnamese NA and the EP play an importantrole in ratifying the PCA, he said, adding that both sides will completeprocedures to approve the Vietnam-EU FTA and Trade Protection Agreement.

They are the first new-generation agreementthe EU has signed with a middle income earner like Vietnam.

According to the ambassador, the Vietnameselegislature and the EP will have to do more to elevate Vietnam-EU relations toa new height.

The EU has attached importance to therelationship with Vietnam in its policies on enhancing relations withAsia-Pacific in economics, trade and investment, politics and security.

The EU has also acknowledged the significantposition of ASEAN in its cooperation with Asia-Pacific, and Vietnam’s role inthe strategy is indispensible.

Despite unforeseeable direct impacts ofBrexit on EU member countries, EU authorities are still willing to holdresult-oriented discussions with Vietnam to enhance the relationship, he said.

Regarding measures to enhance bilateral cooperation, the Vietnamese diplomatssaid there should be more high-level exchanges between the two sides in both Hanoiand Brussels as well as within the framework of international conferences andmultilateral forums.

The Vietnamese NA and the EP play an important role in elevating bilateralrelations, including the early ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free TradeAgreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

Leaders of both national assemblies will discuss measures to further develop theVietnam-EU partnership, he said, noting that collaboration between the twocountries should be intensified to fully tap their potential and foster linksbetween Vietnamese and EU businesses.

During her visit to the EP in Belgium, the Vietnamese to legislator isscheduled to meet with Belgian Presidents of the Chamber of Representatives andthe Senate, and this has significant meaning to bolster Vietnam-Belgiumrelations as well as enhance the implementation of free trade pacts and theEVIPA, he said.

He mentioned that Vietnam and Belgium inked a strategic partnership agreementon agriculture in October 2018 while various cooperation deals have been signedbetween localities of both nations.-VNA