State President hosts outgoing Dutch, Swiss ambassadors

Receiving Ambassador Akkermann, President Phuc affirmed that the Netherlands is the European Union’s leading trading partner and largest EU investor in Vietnam. He thanked the Netherlands for supporting Vietnam with 1 million doses of the Moderna vaccine and medical equipment to control the COVID-19 pandemic.

Phuc hailed effective cooperation in climate change adaptation, water management, sustainable agriculture and food security between the two countries, and suggested that the two sides expand cooperation in other areas such as circular economy, digital transformation, renewable energy, transportation, green growth and sustainable development, especially in the Mekong Delta.

The President hoped that the Netherlands and other EU countries would continue to strongly support ASEAN’ and Vietnam’s common stance on preserving peace and stability, ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, and peaceful settlement of disputes on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

For her part, ambassador Akkermann stressed that the two countries still have a lot of potential for stronger trade cooperation as Vietnam’s economy is developing rapidly. She affirmed that Vietnam is always the most important partner of the Netherlands, not only in trade but also in other fields such as green development and circular economy.

According to the diplomat, Vietnamese students who have been studying in the Netherlands serve as an important bridge to enhance bilateral cooperation, including circular economy development, an area of the Netherlands’ strength.

At another reception for Ambassador Sieber, President Phuc affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to cooperation with Switzerland. He also thanked Switzerland for providing Vietnam with medical equipment to combat COVID-19.

Phuc appreciated the Ambassador encouraging many Swiss businesses to cooperate and invest in Vietnam. Switzerland’s total direct investment capital in Vietnam now stands at US$1.9 billion, ranking 20th among foreign investors in the country. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, bilateral trade turnover still reached nearly US$900 million last year.

However, the President said that the two sides should soon resume and bring into full play their cooperation mechanisms to reach the pre-pandemic level of US$2.3 billion in trade.

He suggested that Switzerland accelerate the completion of negotiations of a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) of which Switzerland is a member. He said once the trade pact is implemented, it will create plenty of opportunities for business investment in Vietnam, especially in finance-banking, insurance, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, agricultural product processing, and tourism.

President Phuc thanked Switzerland for providing the official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam amounting to US$600 million in the 1991-2021 period. He expressed hope that Switzerland would continue to support ODA for training, urban development, hunger eradication and poverty reduction, and rural development.

Sharing the President’s views, Ambassador Sieber hoped that the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the EFTA would soon be signed so that more Swiss enterprises would invest in Vietnam and many Vietnamese goods would be exported to Switzerland.

He expressed his impression of Vietnam’s success in COVID-19 control and believed the two countries would have cooperation activities in health care in the near future.

The diplomat said in whatever position he would try to promote cooperation between the two countries, especially in the fields of economy, trade and climate change.