Netherlands keen to enhance economic ties with Vietnam
VOV.VN - Vice Minister for Foreign Economic Relations of the Netherlands Hanneke Schuiling is paying a visit to Vietnam from April 25 to April 26 to promote economic co-operation between the two governments, according to the Netherlands Embassy in Vietnam.
During the visit, Vice Minister Schuiling is scheduled to meet with Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Dang Hoang An to discuss bilateral co-operation in trade, investment, and the enforcement of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
This comes as the Netherlands seeks to support the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade) and the Dutch Business Association in Vietnam (DBAV) to implement the "Ready to Export" programme. This aims to ramp up co-operation among Vietnamese and Dutch small and medium-sized enterprises as part of the global value chain.
With regard to Vietnamese commitment to green economic transformation, the Netherlands is ready to assist the country in creating a legal framework for offshore wind power development.
Moving forward, the two deputy ministers are expected to discuss the Cai Mep Ha logistics centre, deep sea ports, and other projects with the participation of EU and Vietnamese investors, with a total capital of US$1 billion and visa waiver programme put in place.
Furthermore, both sides will also talk about the development of agricultural centres in the Mekong Delta and prospects ahead for co-operation among the Netherlands, Vietnam, and the World Bank to develop these sites moving forward.
Vice Minister Schuiling also highlighted the co-operative relations between Ho Chi Minh City and Rotterdam on climate change adaptation since 2009, adding that the two sides will work together to devise smart and sustainable solutions which aim to resolve the challenges of urbanisation and population growth.
As part of the occasion, several Dutch experts and companies expressed their desire to co-operate with Ho Chi Minh City in the fields of developing riverside areas, and green transport infrastructure, and fighting flooding which hits urban areas.
The Netherlands is the EU's largest direct investor in Vietnam and the fifth largest foreign investor in the nation. Both countries will celebrate 50 years of their diplomatic relations in 2023.
