Vietnamese, Dutch PMs talk ways to boost comprehensive partnership
VOV.VN - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte discussed a score of measures to further promote the Vietnam - Netherlands comprehensive partnership in the time ahead during their phone talks held on December 6.
PM Chinh highly appreciated and thanked the Dutch Government and business community for providing medical equipment and supplies worth VND40 billion to help Vietnam overcome the difficult period caused by the 4th pandemic wave.
He affirmed that Vietnam always values its friendship and all-around cooperation with the Netherlands in politics-diplomacy, trade-investment, security-defence, culture, education, farming, and climate change adaptation.
The Vietnamese Government leader emphasized that PM Mark Rutte is a close friend of Vietnam who has made positive contributions to building the foundation and promoting the development of Vietnam-Netherlands relations, especially since the two countries established a strategic partnership in the field of climate change adaptation and water management in 2010.
Two-way trade turnover between the two countries has increased steadily every year despite the impact of COVID-19, with two-way trade turnover during the 10 months of 2021 reaching US$6.79 billion, up 13% over the same period from last year.
The enforcement of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) from August 2020 has brought many great opportunities for Vietnamese and Dutch businesses to expand cooperation. As a good result, many agricultural products of Vietnam have successfully entered the EU market with preferential tax rates.
PM Chinh highly appreciated the fact that the Netherlands is one of the countries with the most developed logistics system in the world, and plays the role as both the largest market for Vietnamese exports in the EU, and an important gateway to transship Vietnamese goods into the European market.
Chinh said he desires the Netherlands to support Vietnam in connecting ports and industrial zones with Europe as a way of increasing the output of Vietnamese exports to the European market. He also expected the Dutch Parliament to soon ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) in order to promote faster, stronger and more sustainable growth of trade and investment between the two countries.
Rutte, for his part, hailed Vietnam’s achievements over the past time, particularly in COVID-19 prevention and control. He suggested both nations should work closely together in enhancing trade and investment for recovery and growth.
According to the Dutch PM, Vietnam and the Netherlands are both countries heavily affected by climate change that require great efforts to accelerate the realization of proposed measures and plans.
The leaders agreed that cooperation programmes in the coming time will include a master planning of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta region for sustainable development in response to climate change toward 2030 with a vision to 2050; and a programme on sustainable agricultural transformation in the delta. They also consented to spur the development of a circular economy and renewable energy to serve the goals of sustainable growth in each country.
They concurred to maintain regular exchange mechanisms and cooperation orientations regarding seaports, education, and tourism.
The Vietnamese Government chief proposed the Netherlands grant scholarships for Vietnamese students and offer favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to live and work there.
The two PMs also discussed a range of measures to ramp up collaboration between the nations within the framework of their strategic partnership and agreed to step up the bilateral public private cooperation, focusing on sectors of the Netherlands’ strength and Vietnam’s demand.
They continued to discuss strengthening cooperation between Vietnam and the Netherlands at multilateral and regional forums, including the East Sea issue.
Both sides underscored the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the waters, settling disputes based on international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and building a practical and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
On the occasion, PM Chinh invited his Dutch counterpart to visit Vietnam again and the invitation was graciously accepted. Rutte said he hopes to soon welcome Chinh in his nation for an official visit in the time to come.