The NA chairman made the statement while receiving the Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam, Andre Haspels, who came to say farewell before ending his term of office in Vietnam.

Mr Trong spoke highly of the ambassador’s active contribution to strengthening the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between Vietnam and the Netherlands, especially in the areas of trade and investment.

For his part, ambassador Andre expressed his delight at positive developments in the bilateral relationship between the two nations and his hope that the two sides will develop their political cooperation, particularly in exchanges between the two parliaments.

While appreciating Vietnam’s efforts to strengthen its state management capacity and fight corruption, the ambassador noted that the Netherlands will continue to support the Southeast Asian country in these areas.

The Dutch diplomat promised that whatever future position he holds, he will further contribute to increasing cooperation between Vietnam and the Netherlands.

Two-way trade between the two countries reached US$1.2 billion in the first eight months of this year. The Netherlands now ranks first among European investors in Vietnam, with a total investment capital of US$2.6 billion, of which US$2 billion has been disbursed.

The country has also cooperated with Vietnam in various fields such as development assistance, health care, culture, education and training, waste treatment and eco-environment protection.