PM desires stronger all-around cooperation between Amsterdam and Vietnamese localities

At the meeting, PM Chinh thanked the Mayor of Amsterdam for her cordial welcome given to the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation. He emphasized that Vietnam and the Netherlands have built a foundation for good friendship and this visit to the European country aims to take the level of cooperation between the two countries to a higher level, including cooperation with Amsterdam city, especially in the context that both nations will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2023.

The Vietnamese cabinet leader hailed the good friendship and cooperation between Hanoi and Amsterdam, with Hanoi - Amsterdam High School being a symbol of the sound friendship between the two cities.

The mayor of Amsterdam expressed her belief that the visit by PM Pham Minh Chinh will open a new period of practical and more effective development for the relationship between the two countries as well as between the city of Amsterdam and Vietnamese localities.

Expressing his impression of Amsterdam's development achievements in boosting economic, cultural and educational development, and solving urban environmental challenges, PM Chinh asked the Mayor of Amsterdam together with other municipal leaders to step up cooperation with Vietnamese localities, especially with Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, with a  particular focus on investment, environmental protection (wastewater and solid waste treatment), circular economy, urban planning, people-to-people exchange, and tourism.

The Vietnamese Government chief emphasized that amid Vietnam and the Netherlands entering a new stage of development based on the spirit of effective and mutually beneficially cooperation,  Amsterdam and Vietnamese localities need to build new cooperation frameworks in order to develop bilateral relations in a more substantive and effective manner.

Sharing with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's assessment of the potential and directions for cooperation between the two sides, Mayor Femke Halsema said that Amsterdam and Hanoi have had many practical cooperation projects over recent times.

Amsterdam wishes to continue to expand cooperation with Hanoi in the areas of Amsterdam's strengths such as energy transition, waste treatment, environmental pollution and urban flooding treatment, and urban planning towards sustainable smart city development.

Mayor Femke Halsema also expressed concern about the challenges of climate change and sea level rise that localities in the Mekong Delta region are facing and affirmed her nation's willingness to cooperate and share experience in this field.

She also showed a desire to visit Vietnam at the invitation of PM Pham Minh Chinh as well as her readiness to welcome Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City leaders' trip to Amsterdam to discuss specific cooperation projects in the time ahead.

Earlier the same day, PM Chinh toured North Brabant province of the Netherlands where he visited Eindhoven city and the innovative technology region of Brainport Eindhoven, met Vice Governor of the province Martijn van Gruijthuisen, and had a working session with some hi-tech enterprises of the European nation.

He expressed his impression with socio-economic development achievements of North Brabant – one of the most industrially developed provinces in the Netherlands, and Eindhoven city – the biggest technology, innovation, research, and higher education centre of the country.
He affirmed Vietnam’s recognition of importance to the comprehensive partnership with the Netherlands, saying that the nation backs stronger connections in trade and investment between the two countries’ localities.

Chinh applauded the close cooperation between Eindhoven and Vietnam's Binh Duong province, an industrial hub in the south of the country, particularly in science - technology, infrastructure development, and education - training, helping the Vietnamese locality obtain important results in smart city building.

He asked North Brabant to expand cooperation with Vietnamese localities in terms of developing hi-tech parks, the Triple Helix model (cooperation among administration, enterprises, and universities/research institutes), smart cities, science - technology, and microchip manufacturing.

Vice Governor Gruijthuisen said North Brabant stays ready to share development experience and strengthen ties with Southeast Asia, especially Vietnam – a partner of leading importance of the Netherlands.

Applauding the close links between Eindhoven and Binh Duong, he agreed with his guest’s opinions and assured the willingness to continue working hand in hand with Binh Duong and expand relations with other Vietnamese localities.

He also pledged to encourage North Brabant enterprises to intensify investment in Vietnam in the fields of their strengths such as digital transformation, green transition, innovation, and smart city building.