Workshop looks back on 50 years of Vietnam-Netherlands ties
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a workshop on 50 years of relations between Vietnam and the Netherlands, and their achievements and prospects, in Hanoi on December 15, as part of activities marking the 50th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties this year.
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang and delegates (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs helda workshop on 50 years of relations between Vietnam and the Netherlands, and their achievements and prospects,in Hanoi on December 15, as part of activities marking the 50th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties this year.
🃏 In her opening speech, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le ThiThu Hang affirmed that the Vietnam-Netherlands relationship is typical of dynamic,effective and practical cooperation.
The two countries have become priority and important partners of each other through the establishment of a comprehensive partnership in 2019,with political trust increasingly consolidated. The Netherlands hasbecome Vietnam's second largest trade partner in Europe and the biggest EUinvestor in Vietnam, she said. According to the diplomat, the two countries established a strategic partnershipon climate change response and water management in 2010, and a strategic partnershipon sustainable agriculture and food security in 2014. They have rolled outspecific and practical projects in the Mekong Delta. The bilateral relationshiphas expanded to national defence-security, transport and sci-tech, both atthe central and local levels. Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Kees van Baar, for his part,expressed his wish to join with Vietnam in seizing opportunities of the next fivedecades, towards deepening collaboration in various fields, especiallypeople-to-people exchange and sustainable development. About orientations to future cooperation, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said the two countries needto continue maintaining a solid political foundation through meetings at alllevels and channels to facilitate cooperation in other areas. Economy, trade and investment should remain an important pillarin the bilateral ties, she suggested, adding that both nations should take advantage of significant opportunities brought by legal frameworks such as the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement(EVIPA). As they are seeing new opportunities and driving forces ofcooperation in the circular economy and green growth, the diplomat proposed fullytapping Vietnam’s advantages and potential, with the support of the Netherlands,in institutional building, technology transfer and workforce training, towardssustainable development./.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte on November 2 morning made a cycling tour around some streets in Hanoi as part of the latter’s ongoing visit to Vietnam.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte attended the Vietnam-Netherlands High-tech Business Forum and the 2023 Green Economy Forum (GEF) in Hanoi on November 2.
Deputy Minister of Finance Vo Thanh Hung and Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Kees van Baar on November 2 exchanged the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the implementation of the Vietnam-Netherlands agreement on cooperation and mutual administrative assistance in customs matters.
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.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang and delegates (Photo: VNA) 
