Brussels, 25th June 2019

The Council of Ministers today approved the EU-Vietnam trade and investment agreements, paving the way for their signature and conclusion. EU Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström and Romanian Minister for Business, Trade and Entrepreneurship Ștefan-Radu Oprea will sign the agreement on the EU’s behalf in Hanoi on Sunday 30 June. The agreements are set to bring unprecedented benefits for European and Vietnamese companies, consumers and workers, while promoting respect for labour rights, environmental protection and the fight against climate change under the Paris Agreement.

President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said: “I welcome the decision taken today by EU Member States. After Singapore, the agreements with Vietnam are the second to have been concluded between the EU and a Southeast Asian country, and represent stepping stones to a greater engagement between Europe and the region. It is also a political statement by two partners and friends standing together for open, fair and rules-based trade.”

Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström said: “I am very pleased to see that Member States have given a green light to our trade and investment agreements with Vietnam. Vietnam is a vibrant and promising market of more than 95 million consumers and both sides have much to gain from stronger trade relations. Beyond the clear economic benefits, this deal also aims to strengthen respect for human rights as well as protecting the environment and workers’ rights. I welcome Vietnam’s engagement in the process so far – their recent ratification of the International Labour Organisation Convention on collective bargaining is an excellent example of how trade agreements can encourage higher standards.”

The trade agreement will eliminate nearly all customs duties on goods traded between the two sides in a progressive way that fully respects Vietnam’s development needs. The agreement also contains specific provisions to remove technical obstacles, such as those in the car sector, and will ensure that 169 traditional European food and drink products recognised as Geographical Indications are protected in Vietnam. Thanks to the agreement, EU companies will also be able to participate in bids for procurement tenders in Vietnam on an equal footing with domestic companies.

Besides offering significant economic opportunities, the EU and Vietnam have agreed strong sustainable development measures. This includes a commitment to implement the Paris climate agreement effectively. The agreement also commits both sides to respect and effectively implement the principles of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) concerning fundamental workers’ rights. To this end, Vietnam has recently ratified the ILO Convention on collective bargaining and has notified the EU of its intention to ratify the two outstanding fundamental ILO conventions by 2023 at the latest. It is also in the process of reinforcing its labour legislation. The agreement also establishes dedicated platforms for the EU and Vietnam to involve civil society in the implementation of these commitments. In addition, the trade agreement includes an institutional and legal link to the EU-Vietnam Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, allowing appropriate action in the case of human rights’ breaches.

The investment protection agreement includes modern rules on investment protection enforceable through the new Investment Court System and ensures that the right of the governments on both sides to regulate in the interest of their citizens is preserved. It will replace the bilateral investment agreements that 21 EU Members States currently have in place with Vietnam putting in place new legal guarantees preventing conflict of interest and increasing transparency.

Next Steps

Following the endorsement by the Council, the agreements will be signed by the EU and Vietnam and presented to the European Parliament for consent. Once the European Parliament has given its consent, the trade agreement can be officially concluded by the Council and enter into force, while the investment protection agreement will first need to be ratified by Member States according to their respective internal procedures.

Background

Vietnam is the EU’s second largest trading partner in the ASEAN region after Singapore, with trade worth €49.3 billion for goods and over €3 billion for services. While EU investment stock in Vietnam remains modest standing just at €6 billion in 2017, an increasing number of European companies are establishing there to set up a hub to serve the Mekong region. Main EU imports from Vietnam include telecommunications equipment, footwear and textiles, furniture and agricultural products. The EU mainly exports to Vietnam goods such as machinery and transport equipment, chemicals and food and beverages. The agreements reached with Vietnam, alongside those signed recently with Singapore, help paving the way for a future region-to-region agreement with the entire Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Dear valued members,

In the fourth quarter of 2019, VCCI, in coordination with Ministry of Labor 0 Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, will be organising the Program on Benchmarking and Announcing Sustainable Companies in Vietnam 2019 in Ha Noi. This event will be a great opportunity to learn more about sustainability in Vietnam for any members who has an interest in this topic.

Objectives of the Program
• Honor and award sustainable businesses;
• Enhance the understanding of importance and benefits of sustainable development to businesses, communities and society;
• Promote business towards sustainability;
• Raise sustainability exchanges and cooperation among stakeholders in Vietnam, including the business community, government agencies and civil society organizations;
• Support Vietnamese companies to learn experiences through good global practices of sustainable development and economic integration;
• Scale up CSI among Vietnamese business community.

Event details

Date and time: 4th quarter of 2019 (exact date to be determined)

Location: Ha Noi (exact location to be announced)

Please kindly find further information about the event and registration in the link below:

If you have any further inquiries, please contact VCCI through the contacts here:

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Trung, Mobile: 0945 22 3333; Email: trungnt@vcci.com.vn

Ms. Nguyen Thi Quynh Nga, Mobile: 0979 751 516; Email: ngantq@vcci.com.vn

In recent years, more and more theatrical performances has been created and became accessible to a wider Vietnamese audience. However, there is still a significant gap between the number of plays targeting teenagers audience compared to all other demographic.
Seeing the need to fill in this space, Tuoi Tre Theater has decided to step in and produce plays that are tailored to the taste of teenagers. The deputy director of Tuoi Tre Theater, Mr. Nguyen Si Tien, admitted that because the taste of younger audience has become increasingly sophisticated over the years, it is very difficult to produce theatrical performances that meet the needs of the teenagers. Mr. Tien also stated the need for screenplays aimed at youths to be relevant to their lives as well as the importance of focusing on the aesthetic elements and structure in the performances.
With the view to reach a wider teenage-age audience, Tuoi Tre Theater has signed a three-year contract with Belgian delegation Wallonie-Bruxelles to invest in teen performances, Mr. Tien later added there is a possibility of inviting the director if Wallonie-Bruxelles to Vietnam in the future.

In the afternoon of June 8, VVOB Vietnam and Da Nang Department of Education and Training (DOET) organized a the signing ceremony of the CITIES project and introduce materials written by VVOB experts, including Practical Guidelines for preschool teachers on Process oriented child monitoring and A practical source book for facilitators on Supporting school-based Teacher Professional Development.

There were the presence of the Ambassador and First Secretary – Embassy of Belgium in Vietnam, ​​Mr. Nguyen Ba Minh – Head of the ECE Department (MOET), representatives of the Department of Teachers and Education Managers, Mr. Le Trung Chinh – Vice Chairman of Danang People’s Committee, Leaders of Danang Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Education and Training, 8 pilot schools, Danang University, and leaders of People’s Committee, Department of Education and Training, Department of Foreign Affairs in Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Kon Tum provinces.

After the event, all participants attended the reception and enjoyed the fireworks performances of the Belgium and Brazil teams organized by the Belgian Embassy.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Vu Anh Quang has lauded diverse activities of the Association of Vietnamese Students in the European country over the past time.

Addressing a congress on June 1, the diplomat encouraged the students to contribute more to the homeland and promote Vietnam’s position in the world arena.

Trinh Hoang Khai, President of the association for 2017-2019, reviewed major achievements and activities carried out by Vietnamese students in Belgium over the past tenure.

The congress elected Pham Sy Hieu as the association’s President during the new term, who pledged to work harder to connect Vietnamese students in the country and join hands with the General Association of Vietnamese in Belgium to build a strong Vietnamese community.

About 200 Vietnamese students are living and studying in Belgium’s major cities like Brussels, Ghent, Leuven, Liege, Antwerp, Hasselt and Mons.

The event was co-hosted by the Belgian Embassy in Vietnam, the Belgian Development Agency and the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Department of External Economic Affairs.

The sides reviewed important cooperation milestones since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties in 1973.

Two-way trade hit 2.8 billion EUR (3.1 billion USD) in 2018 while Belgian investors have poured more than 900 million USD in Vietnam. Many Belgian firms have contributed to Vietnam’s sustainable development via building green industrial zones.

Bilateral collaboration between Vietnam and Belgium in the future will focus on education, agriculture and environment technology, it was heard at the seminar.

The two teams performed music espousing the beauty of the Han River in Da Nang and the Volga of Russia in the opening performance.

The fireworks festival – the 10th edition since 2008 – features teams from Russia, Brazil, Belgium, Finland, England, China, Italy and Vietnam lighting up the Han River from June 1 to July 7.

This year’s event, titled ‘Stories by the Rivers’, sees teams describing the beauty and culture of typical rivers in their countries during the month-long festival.

Teams come together for a pyrotechnic competition in five nights themed “Origin”, “Seed”, “Love”, “Colours” and “Going out to Sea”, broadcast live on Vietnam Television channel.

Brazil and Belgium will take the stage on June 8.

Three-time champions Italy and Finland will play the third night on June 15, while England and China will perform on June 22.

The top two teams will be selected for the final on July 6.

Last year, Italy’s Martarello clinched the title for the third time after winning in 2011 and 2012.

In 2013, the US team Melrose Pyrotechnics took first spot. Canada’s Davis Whysall took the top prize in 2008, while China’s Liuyang Dancing won in 2009. France’s Jacques Couturier Organisation won in 2010.

The Da Nang International Fireworks Festival was voted one of the 10 most impressive cultural events of 2018 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Professional skills training has been provided at 14 universities, three home affairs departments and three education and training departments across the country over the past four years.

The project, run by the Facility for Capacity Building (FCB), came to a close at a ceremony in Hà Nội on Friday.

Aiming to improve Vietnamese personnel, it was co-implemented by the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel) and the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training MoET.

The project received 6.2 million euros (US$6.9 million) from the Belgium Government. MoET paid for office space and personnel.

Under the project, more than 2,000 officials, 42 per cent of whom were women, received training on management, educational assessment, technological transfer and personnel development via conferences, field trips and courses.

The project offers 27 scholarships for master training in Belgium.

Nguyễn Thị Toàn Thắng, deputy director of the Bình Thuận Department of Education and Training, said that the project supplied important support on information and technological transfer for Vietnamese human resources.

Đinh Thanh Hải, deputy principal of the Hà Nội University of Pharmacy, said the project had helped improve skills and knowledge in the sector for the university’s managers and lecturers.

It had provided a good foundation for the university in international integration, she said.

Following the project, the university would continue to run training courses based on national norms for pharmacists after graduation, said Hải.

— VNS

With the support of the Belgian Development Agency under the Green Growth Strategy Facility, a drip irrigation system was installed in 2013 in Vĩnh Hải Commune in Ninh Hải District. The installation of this system has solved the problem of irrigation water shortage in dry season that has been plaguing farmers in Ninh Thuan province.

The 2018 figure was announced by the Health Ministry in coordination with Vietnam-initiative (VNI) at a workshop on May 30.

Director of the Medical Services Administration (MSA) under the Ministry of Health Luong Ngoc Khue said the PSI 2018 was based on a survey of more than 7,500 in-patients and their caregivers at 60 hospitals in 23 provinces and cities.

Among the hospitals, 13 were rated as very good (21.7 percent), 26 were rated as good (43.3 percent) and the remaining 21 were rated fair (35 percent).

The 2018 PSI was the joint work of the Health Ministry, the VNI, and the Indiana University of the US under the “Equitable Healthcare through PSI” funded by Oxfam Vietnam and the embassies of Belgium and the Netherlands in Vietnam.

Hospitals have conducted surveys on patient satisfaction since 2015 among both in-patients and out-patients who are receiving treatment. However, the PSI survey focuses on inpatients who have been released from hospital.

Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Ngoc Tien said the survey aimed to determine the needs of patients and shortcomings in the country’s healthcare system. The lessons learnt from the survey will help the health sector and hospitals improve their check-up and examination services.

Improved water management can help Viet Nam tackle the threat of climate change, according to Belgium Ambassador Paul Jansen during a workshop held yesterday in Hà Nội.

At the workshop, entitled Water Management in Urban Areas in Việt Nam in the Context of Climate Change, policymakers, universities, research institutions, international development partners and private firms shared knowledge and expertise in the field.

“Urban resilience has always been a key issue in the developing areas of Việt Nam. And now, with the growing threat from climate change, improvements to the urban infrastructure are becoming increasingly more important,” Jansen said.

Việt Nam is one of the countries most affected by climate change, which also influences the interplay between water and urban areas and intensifies the risks of both drought and flooding, according to experts.

In Việt Nam’s rapidly expanding cities, increased development and increased rainfall due to climate change have created significant flood risks, impacting human lives and the economy and creating environmental problems.

Analysis of climate change impact, consideration of increased risk and vulnerability as well as actions for capacity building, awareness raising and infrastructure works were discussed at the workshop.

Prof Phạm Quý Nhân, deputy head of the Natural Resources and Environment University, described the current reality of water usage in Việt Nam.

“At present, 60 per cent of the population rely on groundwater for their water supply while the groundwater resource has been heavily exploited in some areas”, said Nhân.

“The high extraction rates are causing a rapid lowering of the water levels in key areas around Hà Nội, HCM City and in the Central Highlands. The sustainability of these water sources is under serious threat”, he said.

“Groundwater is very vulnerable to pollution and has a very poor inventory and information system,” he added.

“Climate change will increase evaporation, reducing rainfall in the dry season above all river basins, causing irrigation water demand to increase,” Nhân said.

According to the professor, about 8.5 million urban citizens lack access to clean water while in rural areas, 41 million people do not have a supply that meets the Ministry of Health’s clean water standards.

Along with insufficient access to clean water, millions of people suffer regular and massive losses from natural disasters.

Việt Nam is one of the most natural disaster-prone countries in the world, with about half of the population living on the coast and more than 80 per cent at risk of direct impacts from natural hazards.

From 1997 to 2006, natural disasters caused more than 5,000 deaths, and destroyed more than 6,000 fishing boats, nearly 300,000 houses and 4 million hectares of paddy rice, with total damage in excess of VNĐ50 trillion (US$2.1 billion).

To prepare for and reduce impacts of climate changes, the country would need effective measures including national strategic plans, national policy framework, vulnerable community protection plans, sustainable water development and protection projects, and campaigns improving people’s awareness on water use, the professor said.

The workshop was held by the Embassy of Belgium, in collaboration with Việt Nam National University’s Institute of Vietnamese Studies and Development Science (IVIDES), the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel) and Belgian universities.

VNS

Dear valued members and friends,

It is our pleasure to send you the links to the updated version of the Guide to the EU-Vietnam Trade and Investment Agreements, as revised by colleagues in HQ and EUD in 2019. Since the first version was prepared in 2016, it has proved to be a useful tool to promote the FTA benefits so please feel free to circulate as appropriate to your contacts.

Have a good reading!

Link EUD website: https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/eu_fta_guide_final.pdf

Link DG TRADE: http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2016/june/tradoc_154622.pdf

Dear Sir/Madam,

First of all, on behalf of the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC), we would like to extend our warmest greetings to you.

Business to Government Dialogue System (hereafter referred to as the System) was founded in 2002 by HCMC People’s Committee, which ITPC has been in charge of as a Chief Executive. This System aims to promptly solve business difficulties related to administrative procedures for enterprises and investors in Ho Chi Minh City. The System has had 42 authority agencies participating and answering any issue for enterprises and investors through two (02) methods:

1. Dialogue by the System website: https://doithoaidn.hochiminhcity.gov.vn/
2. Dialogue by direct meetings

ITPC has organized 188 direct dialogue meetings so far; in which coordinated with trade promotion organizations and business associations in Ho Chi Minh City to hold more than 30 conferences, answering more than 784 questions from enterprises and foreign investors, disseminating new policies related to many areas such as taxation, customs, social insurance, labor, wage, construction, information technology, investment and real estate.

In order to provide timely assistance to investors during the course of production and business activities in Ho Chi Minh City, ITPC is willing to cooperate with your organization to hold direct dialogues among government agencies and your enterprise members in every field.

For more details, please contact:

Investment and Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC)

Investment Promotion Division

Address: 51 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Da Kao Ward, District 1, HCMC

Tel: +84 (28) 3911 1314

Ms. Minh Ngọc: +84 909 212 775; Email: ngocntm@itpc.gov.vn

View the letter here

Vietnamese award-winning documentary Remember: You Are Alive will open the 10th European – Vietnamese Documentary Film Festival on May 31 in Hà Nội and HCM City.

Directed by Đoàn Hồng Lê, the film won the Goldern Kite Award in 2018 from the Việt Nam Cinema Association for best documentary and best documentary director .

The 27-minute film tells the story of an anonymous rural girl who chooses the right attitude to face the tragedy in her life — cancer. It is a story about love, life and death.

Phạm Thị Huế from Quỳnh Hải Commune in the northern province of Thái Bình discovered she had liver cancer when she was just 16. Her doctor said she had about six months to live, but she managed to fight the disease and lived for another seven years.

During the time she was also awarded a college degree.

The film also focuses on Huế’s role in the play Memento Mori — an art community project. The play was performed by cancer patients.

Huế died on April 2 a few days before the film was awarded the Golden Kite Award this year.

The film will be screened at 7pm in Vietnamese with English subtitles at the National Documentary and Scientific Film Studio, 465 Hoàng Hoa Thám Street, Hà Nội, and Hoa Sen University, 8 Nguyễn Văn Tráng, District 1, HCM City.

The 10th Film Festival was a milestone on the long journey of co-operation between the European Union National Institute for Culture (EUNIC) and Việt Nam, according to Trịnh Quang Tùng, deputy director of the National Documentary and Scientific Film Studio.

“The festival has gained a foothold with audiences thanks to the high number of quality movies we screen,” Tùng said.

Screening at the opening will also be a Wallonie Brussels film entitled So Help Me God. It is the first feature film based on Strip Tease, a television show from Belgium. For three years, the directors followed judge Anne Gruwez in Brussels during criminal investigations, hearings and visits to crime scenes.

Directed by Jean Libon & Yves Hinant, the film won the Cesar Award and Magritte Award for best documentary.

The 99-minute screening will begin at 7.40pm with Vietnamese subtitles.

The festival will be held from May 31 to June 9 with participants from France, Germany, Britain, Wallonie Bruxelles, Israel, Czech Republic, Sweden, Spain, Denmark and Australia.

Nine other films by Việt Nam Television will also be screened.

Vietnamese filmmakers are trying to exploit the material-rich language of documentary cinema to truly reflect life and human beings.

Also within the framework of the festival, four films by Vietnamese independent filmmakers will be featured in a separate show on June 9

Diva Mỹ Tâm and singer Trọng Tấn will perform songs espousing the beauty of the Hàn River in Đà Nẵng and the Volga of Russia in the opening performance of the Đà Nẵng International Fireworks Festival on June 1.

The general director of the festival, Đỗ Thanh Hải, made the announcement at a press conference in Đà Nẵng yesterday, confirming the art performance will spark the one-month long festival with an amazing water space stage.

He said top Vietnamese singers such as Hồng Nhung, Tùng Dương, Uyên Linh, Phương Vy and Thảo Trang and European artists will also perform.

Hải said the fireworks festival will be promoted by art performances and street carnivals every weekend during the festival between June 2 and July 7.

The festival’s organisers will also host the final round of National Flashmob Contest at Đà Nẵng Sun World Wonders on June 29.

Meanwhile, the Sunshine Dance Festival will be held Sun World’s Bà Nà Hills from May 31 through September 30. More than 200 dancers and artists will offer two performances each day during the period.

The fireworks festival – the 10th edition since 2008 – will feature teams from Russia, Brazil, Belgium, Finland, England, China, Italy and Việt Nam lighting up the Hàn River from June 1 to July 7.

This year’s event, titled ‘Stories by the Rivers’, will see teams describing the beauty and culture of typical rivers in their countries during the month-long festival.

Việt Nam and Russia will perform during the curtain-raiser on June 1, while Brazil and Belgium will take the stage on June 8.

Three-time champions Italy and Finland will play the third night on June 15, while England and China will perform on June 22.

The top two teams will be selected for the final on July 6.

Last year, Italy’s Martarello clinched the title for the third time after winning in 2011 and 2012.

According to the organisers, the fireworks festival drew more than 1.5 million tourists last year.

A recent report ranks Ho Chi Minh City 41st among world’s 50 fastest growing coworking markets in the world.

Every 47.5 days, a new coworking space opens in Vietnam’s southern metropolis, according to the 2019 Global Coworking Growth Study recently published by CoworkingResources, a global information hub for modern workspaces.

The report is based on research that tracked all coworking space openings for 10 months, from June 2018 to April 2019. It ranks major cities around the world based on the number of days between new space openings.

London topped the list, with a coworking space springing up in the U.K. capital every five days, followed by New York (7.5 days), Toronto in Canada (13 days), Austin (15 days) and Denver (16.8 days), both in the U.S.

The top 10 was dominated by seven American cities, reflecting the wide popularity of the coworking space concept in almost every city in the U.S.

The report says Vietnam came in 31st among top 50 global economies with the highest growth in per capita coworking space numbers.

Luxembourg, Singapore and Ireland were the top three countries, with the first chalking up 8.5 new spaces annually for every 1,000,000 inhabitants, almost double the following two.

Vietnam has seen the coworking space market expand in recent years. Major local operators like Toong, UP, Circo and Dreamplex are all expanding at an accelerated rate, and the number of smaller operators with just one venue is also increasing.

As of April last year, there were 23 coworking operators in Vietnam managing a total of 34 spaces, according to real estate consultants CBRE.

Nguyen Hong Hai, CEO of office rental service Pax Sky, said coworking spaces are now popular because the supply of office space in HCMC’s central districts fails to meet demand of the rising number of entrepreneurs choosing to base themselves in the city.

Hai told VnExpress that grade A office space in the city costs $50-60 per square meter plus taxes a month, and grade B office space, $22-30.

But occupancy rates of over 95 percent mean customers have to wait for a long time to find a good place, he said.

There is still a lot of untapped potential in the coworking industry in HCMC because of its very vibrant entrepreneurship scene, he added.

The event is to be hosted by the Vietnam National Documentary and Scientific Film Studio alongside the European Union National Institutes for Culture.

The festival will see films from 10 European countries shown, including from Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Israel, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and Belgium, in addition to Vietnamese works.

Audiences will have the chance to learn more about a wide variety of different countries, people, and cultures through featured-documentary films.

The event is to showcase a number of films which have won prizes at prestigious international film festivals, and is expected to be a great success that brings excitement to watching audiences.

The Vietnamese Government supports and creates the best possible conditions for Belgian businesses and investors, including those from the Flanders region, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has affirmed.

He told visiting Minister-President of the Flanders region Geert Bourgeois in Hà Nội yesterday that Vietnamese businesses wanted to work with Belgian partners, and the Vietnamese Government has encouraged local people and enterprises to enhance co-operation with firms from the EU, including Belgium.

The fact 80 Flanders businesses are accompanying Minister-President Geert Bourgeois during his visit to Việt Nam shows their confidence in the country’s development, he said.

Việt Nam attaches importance to economic ties with the EU, and Belgium and the Flanders region in particular, the leader stressed.

He said that Việt Nam highly valued Belgium’s role in the EU and the country’s co-operation and support for Việt Nam, particularly in education, training, economy and trade.

Việt Nam’s signing of a free trade agreement with the EU aimed to promote collaboration between the two sides, he said, expressing his belief that Belgium would encourage other EU member countries to soon approve the deal.

The PM told his guest that Việt Nam and Belgium are expected to sign a co-operation programme in agriculture, fishery, husbandry and floriculture, among other fields.

For his part, Minister-President Geert Bourgeois highlighted the long-standing relations between Việt Nam and Belgium as well as the Flanders region, saying working sessions between his delegation and Vietnamese ministries and agencies over the past days reaped fruitful outcomes.

The Minister-President noted his support for the approval of the EU-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement and said that the pact would create momentum for economic and trade links between Việt Nam and EU countries.

— VNS

On May 20th 2019, Mr. Nguyen Van Tung, Chairman of Hai Phong City People’s Committee received Ambassador Paul Jansen and the delegation during their visit in Hai Phong.

At the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Van Tung revealed that Belgian businesses have invested heavily in Hai Phong and contributed positively to the socio-economic development of the city. He hoped that DEEP C 3 Industrial Park will be finished quickly to meet the investment demand in Hai Phong.

Thanking the warm welcome from the leaders of Hai Phong city, Ambassador Jansen highly appreciated the city’s support and hoped that Hai Phong will continue creating favorable conditions for more Belgian enterprises to invest and operate, especially at DEEP C Industrial Park (with Rent-A-Port Belgium and Hai Phong City People’s Committee as the main shareholders).

From DeepC side, they also very glad to welcome the Belgian Ambassador in their company:

We value our guests by making every effort to ensure they always feel welcome during their time with us. Sticking to that, we are delighted to receive Belgian Ambassador Paul Jansen to DEEP C in his visit to Haiphong. Apart from giving him a glimpse of our roadmap to eco-industrial park, we are lucky enough to join his meeting with Haiphong Authority where he suggested the City to continue their devoted support towards Belgian enterprises, especially DEEP C Industrial Zones. On Haiphong’s side, the City will offer DEEP C more favorable conditions while seeking for the Ambassador’s help in actively introducing DEEP C to Belgian investors. DEEP C would like to extend our sincere thanks to both the Ambassador and Haiphong city for their countless support. We hope that the Ambassador had a great experience with us, as much as we enjoyed having him in DEEP C.

The first meeting of the European Union-Việt Nam Joint Committee for the implementation of the EU-Việt Nam Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation (PCA) took place in Hà Nội on Friday.
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tô Anh Dũng and Director for Asia and Pacific in the European External Action Service (EEAS) Gunnar Wiegand co-chaired the event.

Close to 80 delegates from Việt Nam’s ministries and sectors as well as 40 representatives from the EEAS, the European Trade Commission, the EU delegation, and embassies of EU member countries in Việt Nam participated in the meeting.

The launch of the Joint Committee aims to speed up the implementation of the PCA, which took effect from October 1, 2016. Việt Nam and the EU pledged to strengthen the overall cooperation through the bilateral comprehensive partnership and cooperation.

At the meeting, the two sides highly evaluated the development of Việt Nam-EU relations over the past three decades, emphasising their wishes to further deepen bilateral cooperative ties in the fields of delegation exchanges, security-defence, trade-investment, law, justice, science-technology, clean energy, and agro-forestry-fishery.

The EU extolled Việt Nam’s socio-economic development achievements and position in the region and hoped to enhance coordination with the Southeast Asian country to promote ASEAN-EU ties.

The EU also voiced its support for the maintenance of security and safety of navigation and aviation and respect for law in the East Sea.

Enhancing bilateral cooperation in global issues will contribute to peace and development in the region and the world, according to the EU side.

The two sides affirmed to promote the signing of the EU- Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) in the coming weeks.

The early implementation of the deals will help create a strong boost for business and investment ties as well as a strong wave of high-quality investment from both sides.

Việt Nam and the EU also discussed necessary procedures towards the ratification and effective implementation of basic conventions of the International Labour Organsiation (ILO).

The two sides exchanged views on the bilateral development cooperation programme for the 2014-20 period, and agreed to focus on the fields of rural electrification, effective use of energy, renewable energy development, climate change adaptation and sustainable development, judicial cooperation, public financial management and economic matters, human resources training, culture, education, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

They applauded the enforcement of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade (FLEGT) between Vietnam and the EU from June 1, 2019.

The EU recognised Việt Nam’s efforts in reforming the legal framework to address issues related to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The two sides also agreed to implement a mid-term review mechanism to ensure the effective implementation of the achieved results, actively contributing to the reinforcement of the bilateral comprehensive partnership and cooperation.

They consented to hold the second meeting of the Joint Committee in Brussels, Belgium, in 2020. — VNS

New-age airline Vietjet has teamed up with the Youth Theatre to organise a special art project “Flying Dreams” following the success of the series last summer.

The “Flying Dreams” series last year brought unique performances to more than 12,000 children in Hà Nội and neighbouring provinces.

From International Children’s Day on June 1, 80 special shows will be held for children in Hà Nội and HCM City every week for a year.

The Youth Theatre will stage famous plays such as “The Blue Bird” and “Sơn Tinh – Thủy Tinh”.

“The Blue Bird” is a mythological play by Belgian playwright and poet Maurice Maeterlinck, featuring a journey of two kids to find The Blue Bird – known as the messenger of happiness to cure their neighbour’s baby.

“Sơn Tinh – Thủy Tinh” is the latest play created by Youth Theatre artists from a story familiar to many generations of Vietnamese children, the musical is dramatised with a brilliant, colourful artistic space and exciting music.

“Flying Dreams” was established and developed by Vietjet and the Youth Theatre with the aim of delivering stories that would impart humane values to children and enable them to nurture their dreams.

Vietjet is enthusiastically involved in social and community activities towards the elderly, disadvantaged people and especially children.

The airline has developed programmes such as “Warm Tet”, “Wing the Dreams” and “Light up Dreams” scholarships and gifts for children.

VNS

Vietnamese enterprises are showcasing their products at the Brussels Seafood Expo 2019 in Belgium from May 7-9, aiming to give Vietnamese seafood a firmer foothold in the European market.

BLCCA are currently investing in new communication tools for the Federation and for the chambers. A new brochure to present the local chambers of commerce in Belgium is our first newborn. Get familiar with the wide array of services offered by our chambers and download the brochure. If you want to have printed copies, we’re happy to send you some. Next in line is the brochure for the BLCCA. We will be in touch with you to receive your input.

EU-ASEAN Business Council has just launched their fifth business sentiment survey of European businesses in Southeast Asia and Beluxcham is writing to ask for your kind assistance to promote the survey . Your responses would assist in formulating a position for European businesses in ASEAN; how further support and promotion of European interests in the region can be done, such as accelerating the negotiation of FTAs and highlighting the need for more private-public sector dialogue and faster developments on the ASEAN economic integration agenda.

The EU-ASEAN Business Sentiment Survey is read by Ministers and Senior Officials both in the EU and ASEAN. The publication had been quoted by ASEAN Ministers during regional conferences and Ministerial meetings (including most recently at the ASEAN Finance Ministers meeting in Chiang Rai at the beginning of the month).  Previous surveys have highlighted the strong commitment of European businesses to the ASEAN region, which helps in EU-ASEAN Business Council’s advocacy efforts across Southeast Asia.  You will also wish to be aware that DGTrade will be taking the results of the section of the survey on FTAs to help formulate policy towards future FTA negotiations with the ASEAN region (they have also commissioned  a survey of ASEAN companies on this topic to get a better understanding of the views of local businesses at this end).

Last year, 51% of the respondents saw ASEAN as the region with greatest economic potential ahead of China, which was a distant second place. However, with the changes taking place in the global, political and trade landscape; it is critical to ascertain if that view still stands. Therefore, we would like to seek your help in sending the survey out. The link to this year’s survey is here:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/EABSS2019  It should take no more than 15 minutes for anyone to complete it.

You can view last years’ results here https://www.eu-asean.eu/publications

Thank you for your help.  It is important that we get as many companies as possible to respond.  We appreciate the time you have taken and will actively use it to further support and promote European interests in the region.

The European Literature Days 2019 will be held for the ninth time in Hanoi, the fourth time in HCM City and the first time in Danang in May, the French Cultural Center L’Espace in Hanoi has announced.

With 10 European countries attending, this vivid literature festival will be full of activities for book lovers, including book presentations, readings, workshops, exhibitions, films, quiz games, prizes and big discounts on European books at the shops on HCMC Book Street.

The annual European Literature Days festival has been successfully organized in Hanoi since 2011 by the European Union National Institutes for Culture and the Association of European Cultural Institutes and Embassies, with support from the EU Delegation.

Returning to Hanoi, HCMC and Danang this year, the European Literature Days 2019 will introduce more books, more activities, and more opportunities for participants to take a closer look at the literature, lifestyles, and cultures of Europe.

There will be books from the British Council, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Belgium suitable for readers of all ages.

Source : VOV

Ho Chi Minh City and the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant hold great potential to cooperate in the fields of education, culture, and arts, said Permanent Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem.

During a reception in the city on April 23 for Governor of Walloon Brabant Gilles Mahieu, Liem said the visit’s cultural, arts, and environment activities will promote ties between Ho Chi Minh City and the Wallonia-Brussels region, as well as between Ho Chi Minh City and Walloon Brabant in particular.

He thanked Belgium for providing support for Vietnam, including its supply of official development assistance for the second stage of the city’s Soai Rap river dredge project.

According to Liem, the city and Belgian localities are working together in a wide range of areas. Two-way trade surpassed 600 million USD last year, while Belgium is currently investing in 25 projects in the city.

An exhibition of Belgian comic books is being held on Nguyen Van Binh Book Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City until April 26.

The exhibition features 75 wood prints, with 10 of them created by renowned Belgian painter Dany and about 60 others used for the covers of books from Wallonie-Bruxelles (French Community of Belgium) which have been translated and published in Vietnam.

Some of the books were written by great authors such as Maurice Maeterlinck, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1911, detective novelist Georges Simenon, and contemporary writers, including Amélie Nothomb, Jean-Pierre Orban, and Nicolas Ancion.

Popular characters in Belgian comics such as Smurf, Tintin, Lucky Luke, and Spirou, as well as the covers of several other children’s books are also introduced at the exhibition.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition was held on Nguyen Van Binh Book Street on April 21 as part of the Vietnam’s Book Day. The event also honored the jazz culture of Wallonie-Bruxelles with a short performance.

Painter Dany is visiting  HCMC to attend the exhibition and work with lecturers and students of the HCMC University of Fine Arts in Binh Thanh District from April 22 to 24. Particularly, a professional exchange between Dany, the university’s lecturers and students, and professional illustrators is taking place this morning.

The Belgian artist has also selected 29 of his wood prints for an exhibition titled “Share the Legacy: The Art of Comics with comic book artist Dany”, which is being held at the HCMC University of Fine Arts from today until May 3.

Source : VOV

Nguyễn Xuân Đại, deputy director of the Hà Nội Department for Agriculture and Rural Development, talks to Hà Nội Mới (New Hà Nội) newspaper on the city’s achievements in international co-operation in agriculture in the last three years

Can you tell us about some of the city’s international co-operation in agriculture?

Since 2007, the Hà Nội agriculture sector has signed five memorandums of understanding with foreign counterparts, particularly in the field of import-export of agriculture products.

For example, Hà Nội signed a memorandum of understanding with the Japanese Meika Shoji Group; the Malaysian SDN BHD Fresh Farm in the import-export of Canh orange, Diễn pomello, longan and others. Now, Hà Nội has 18 co-operative projects with foreign counterparts in crop cultivation and animal husbandry.

How has Hà Nội benefited from this collaboration?

The city has completed its task of land accumulation to facilitate its agriculture development in accordance with the Hà Nội municipal city authorities’ plan. For example, the city has 15 communes specialised in raising dairy cows; 13 communes specialised in pig rearing and 29 communes in poultry raising, plus more than 4,200 farms.

Through international co-operation, many projects on advanced technology in farming activities have been transferred to Hà Nội farmers. As a result, many of Hà Nội’s agro-products have been exported. For example, in 2018, Hà Nội exported 19 tonnes of longans to the US and some European countries.

In animal husbandry, Hà Nội has carried out the Việt Nam-Belgium Dairy Cow project and received support from Belgium in dairy cow rearing. The city has also co-operated with the Netherlands in a project on pig rearing.

In other words, co-operation projects with foreign partners have helped the Hà Nội agriculture sector gain a high reputation in both the domestic and foreign markets. This is an important motivation for the city’s agriculture sector.

Can you elaborate?

Since 2014, the Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has supported Laos’ Vientiane and Luang Prabang Province to develop their agriculture production. Hà Nội has also completed a project to help Vientiane develop its own plan on agriculture and forestry development. In the meantime, Hà Nội has helped Luang Prabang develop its Nậm Bạc native orange with high yield and quality.

From 2011-2014, Hà Nội also sent agriculture experts to Mozambique to grow rice with high yield on 100ha and to develop three books on rice cultivation techniques.

Does Hà Nội have plans to expand its international agriculture relations?

International co-operation in agriculture is a tendency nowadays as it is an important tool in agricultural restructuring.

To accelerate its international integration, the Hà Nội agriculture sector will continue to work with farmers in restructuring their crop plants and animal husbandry to achieve the target of high economic efficiency. Also, Hà Nội authorities will work side by side with the farmers to help them apply advanced technology to gain higher yields to cater for both the domestic and foreign markets’ demand

Read more at http://vietnamnews.vn/society/518988/international-co-operation-drives-agriculture-development.html#ZuqCuIDElfIWGLDl.99

Dear all valued members and friends,

It is our great pleasure to invite you to attend the 2019 Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup Ho Chi Minh City qualifier.

Established in 2013 with just 12 events, this global amateur golf series is now played in more countries worldwide than any other corporate amateur event of its kind, mirroring the truly global reach of Turkish Airlines.

The 2019 Qualifying Series will feature events in 103 destinations across 72 countries worldwide, providing a unique opportunity for participants to network with senior business people in a relaxed environment, whilst enjoying a round of golf at one of the world’s most prestigious golf courses.

This year’s Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup is proudly sponsored by National Car Rental.

The Ho Chi Minh City qualifying event will take place at Tan Son Nhat Golf Club on Saturday 25^th May 2019 and Turkish Airlines are delighted to offer you the opportunity to take part in what promises to be a great day.

Entries are limited therefore we encourage you to register early to avoid disappointment.

Address: Tan Son Nhat Golf Club, 6 Tan Son, Ward 12,Go Vap District ,Ho Chi Minh City

Fee: Free for everyone. So first come, first served!

Brief Schedule

10:00 – Registration & Lunch

11:30 – Group Photograph & Tournament Briefing

12:00 – Shotgun Start

17:00 – Dinner

18:00 – Prize Presentation

The competition will be an individual stableford format. The best net stableford winner from each qualifying event will join the Grand Final as a guest of Turkish Airlines*. The maximum handicap index for both men and women will be 24.0. Any player with a handicap index of 24.1 and above will be allocated a 24.0 handicap index for the purpose of the event.

The Grand Final will take place between Saturday 2^nd  November to Thursday 7^th  November inTurkey. The prize includes:

• Participation in the Grand Final of the Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup Round Trip Business Class flights to Turkey with Turkish Airlines
• 5 nights*, accommodation

The finalist winner will have hospitality at the Turkish Airlines Open.

For more information please visit www.turkishairlines.com/golf or you may contact Ms Trang (trangnguyen@thy.com) or Ms. Quynh (qnguyen@thy.com)

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan met President of the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium Siegfried Bracke in the capital city of Brussels on April 3 after her arrival.

During the meeting, the top Vietnamese legislator highlighted the growing ties between the two nations, saying her visit aims to spur the development of bilateral ties in a more practical manner.

She also voiced her hope that both sides would consider a new cooperation agreement in the time ahead.
Ngan briefed her host on Vietnam’s current situations, noting that the country has boosted its deeper integration into the world economy with its participation in 12 free trade agreements (FTAs). Vietnam is expected to sign and ratify another four FTAs.

Vietnam has been selected by many investors as their investment destination for its favourable business climate, stable socio-economic environment, and good economic growth, she said.

The country is appreciative of its cooperation with Belgium and regards the country as an important partner in Europe. Both nations have enjoyed successful cooperation across a variety of areas, with last year’s bilateral trade touching US$2.8 billion.

She showed Vietnam’s wish to augment cooperation with Belgium in multiple fields, particularly in renewable energies like solar and wind power.

Vietnam also aspires to foster bilateral ties in sea port infrastructure, public health, agriculture, and education and training.

Belgium grants 40 scholarships to Vietnam on an annual basis, and supports the country via a broad range of educational projects and cooperation programmes with Vietnamese universities and research institutes.

At the meeting, the leaders also touched upon the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement while showing her hope that the Belgian Federal Parliament will raise it voice to expedite the European Parliament (EP)’s ratification of the agreement, as the ratification will bring about practical benefits to Vietnam, Belgium and the EU.

Bracke said that the two sides realized the importance of the EVFTA in economic development of all parties, adding that involved parties will consider all finalized procedures to ratify the agreement at the beginning of the next tenure of the EP.

The Belgian side will try its best to accelerate the process, he affirmed.

President Bracke said it is time to sign cooperation agreements in a wide range of areas, especially in agriculture.

He suggested that both countries should work hand in hand in education, particularly at the tertiary level, adding that creativity is really crucial to achieving win-win cooperation.

Source : VOV

On March 9th, the Belgian Federal Parliament (IPU section) visited Can Tho University, a long-time academic partner of Belgium, especially in researches related to aquaculture, fisheries, and the development of sustainable bio-products. With a budget of around 8 million EUR since 1997, the strong academic cooperation between Belgium and Can Tho University have contributed to the sustainable economic development of the Mekong Delta region and to the adaptation of Vietnamese aquaculture to climate change.

The delegation also visited the Mekong Delta Institute on Climate Change (Can Tho University) to learn more about the studies that have been done on climate change, especially in the Mekong Delta region.

source: Embassy of Belgium in Vietnam

Europe has emerged as a potential market for an array of Vietnamese products, including garments and textiles, footwear, wooden items.

The General Statistics Office of Vietnam reported that exports to the EU edged up 1.2 per cent on year to US$6.3 billion during the two-month period while imports from the block enjoyed a dramatic surge of 15.9 per cent to US$2.2 billion, therefore resulting in a trade surplus of US$4.1 billion for the Southeast Asian country.

During January, Vietnam obtained a trade surplus of US$2.5 billion with the EU as the nation earned US$3.77 billion from exports while imports from the block only reached US$1.26 billion. Notably, Vietnam recorded trade surpluses with a number of EU member states in January, including the UK, Austria, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, France, and Italy.

Hoang Quoc Vuong, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, valued the European region as a significant market for Vietnam, noting that the country has always given priority to increasing co-operation with partners on the continent.

Europe has emerged as a potential market for an array of Vietnamese products, including tropical fruits, garments and textiles, footwear, wooden items, and telephones. Simultaneously, Vietnam could potentially serve as a bridge helping to accelerate the access of European firms and their goods to the wider Southeast Asian region.

Another facilitating factor is that Vietnam has signed and put into force a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Eurasian Economic Union while finalizing negotiations on the much-anticipated EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement. Vietnam is also maintaining efforts to complete negotiations on an FTA with the European Free Trade Association.

With several trade deals pending, they are expected to further leverage Vietnam’s trading position with European partners once they come into force.

Vietnam has so far established 23 partnerships through intergovernmental committees, joint committees, and bilateral policy consultations with European countries. These partnerships have helped to further bolster bilateral co-operation in trade and investment as well as giving the ability to promptly ease difficulties and barriers facing enterprises from both sides.

Statistics released by the General Department of Vietnam Customs indicate that bilateral trade between Vietnam and Europe swelled to US$62.11 billion last year. Of which, Vietnam raked in US$44.93 billion from exports to Europe while recording a trade surplus of US$27.75 billion, hence helping to boost the country’s trade balance.

Vietnam is now home to 3,300 projects invested by European enterprises, with a combined investment capital of nearly US$50 billion.

Source: VOV

From January 1st 2019 onwards, Belgium will begin its two-year term in the United Nations Security Council. On the eve of the start of this mandate, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders underscores the importance of this responsibility, which the international community entrusted to our country. Minister Reynders renews the commitment of Belgium to be a constructive, open and trustworthy partner in the pursuit of collective answers to international issues of peace of security, in cooperation with the other members of the Security Council and all other stakeholders.

In line with the United Nations Charter, Belgium will act in the name of the whole international community. While the pressure on the post-war mechanisms of international cooperation is also felt in the dynamics within the Security Council itself, Belgium is committed to embody the multilateral vision which inspires its foreign policy since the end of the second world war. During its mandate, Belgium will remain true to the spirit of dialogue which guided its entire campaign and strive to bring to value, in a pragmatic way, its traditional conciliatory role translated in the motto “Building consensus, acting for peace”.

Belgium will seek to contribute substantially to debates on all important global questions that will come to the attention of the Security Council, with emphasis on a number of points, reflecting our values and expertise. This mandate falls indeed within the broader framework of the international action of Belgium, which displays in particular a strong human rights profile and a strong commitment to its European dimension. Belgium will also make sure to bring forward actions integrating in a coherent manner the tools of Diplomacy, Development cooperation and Defense, in line with its efforts for a “comprehensive approach”.

Besides the specific tasks divided among the members of the Council, Belgium will continue to devote particular attention to a number of themes on which it has a longstanding track record and which it promoted all along its campaign. These can be brought under the keywords of prevention, protection and performance.

• Prevention first, with the objective to address preoccupying situations before they degenerate into international conflicts. The promotion of mediation, attention for the threats which climate change can constitute for peace and security or the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction all fall under this header.
• Protection, because international security depends on the security of each individual. Our country will strive in particular to keep the protection of children in armed conflicts, the access to humanitarian aid and the fight against impunity high on the agenda.
• Lastly, performance. A performant operational management of United Nations missions is indeed critical. Our country supports moreover the UN Secretary General’s reform agenda, including his Action for peacekeeping. The pursuit of better results should also be reflected in a larger involvement of women, at the political as well as operational level.

Belgium – Luxembourg Chamber of commerce in Vietnam (BELUXCHAM) is pleased to announce that the Fifth Belgian Beer Festival 2018 will be held on November 24, 2018 starting at 3.00 pm at Saigon Outcast (188 / 1 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien Ward, District 2). Beluxcham and other Belgian beer import companies and Belgian restaurants will co-organize this festival to promote and introduce Belgian beer to Vietnamese.

Belgium – “the heart of Europe” is not only famous for owning more mansions than any other country, but also for its unique culinary culture. In particular, Belgian beer- The beverage has more than 2500 different kinds of beer and recipes are passed down through many generations. In 2014, a Belgian beer (Tongerlo Blond) was selected as the best beer in the world and by 2016, UNESCO has recognized Belgian beers as a world cultural heritage. In Belgium, beer is both a drink and the culture, tradition to play an indispensable role in social life. Belgian beer is an art from how to make to the way to enjoy. During the Middle Ages, the monks selected brewing materials from barley, special grass and hops. Then, they distilled and fermented carefully. Therefore, Belgian beer is very diverse from color to flavor . Belgian beer color scale is from light yellow to dark brown. The flavor is sweet, bitter to sour. Each type of beer brings the characteristics for each region that cannot be mixed or resembled anywhere. Belgian beer is always kept cool preserved properly. Each kind of beer will own the beer glass designed exclusively for it so that people can enjoy the taste fully. We have to pour slowly to avoid spilling the foam and the perfect foam is about 1.5cm to 2cm.

Belgian Beer Festival in Vietnam was first held in Hanoi in 2014 according to the idea of the Belgian Ambassador. ‘’I would expect more visitors to attend the event and enjoy the Belgian beers”, Belgian Ambassador Bruno Angelet said. On 30.03.2018, the Belgian beer festival has returned to Hanoi and succeeded with more than 1200 guests and international friends in Vietnam. Participating in the festival, you will have the opportunity to get more knowledge about Belgian beer, about the diverse, unique and excellent quality of Belgian beer. You can try many kinds of Belgian beers including light beer, fruit beer and beer for woman, know how to make beer, participate in mini games or drown in the vibrant atmosphere of Belgium and other activities.

The ticket price is 50.000 VND for the entrance and can be bought at the door or contact the online and offline selling ticket channels as follows:

 Online: https://ticketbox.vn/event/belgian-beer-festival-73824/50609

Offline:

– Belgo restaurant: 159A Nguyen Van Thu street, Dakao Ward, District 1

– Saigon Outcast: 188/1 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien Ward, District 2

– Beluxcham office: F.15, 5B Ton Duc Thang St, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1.

For more information on newspaper articles, please contact:

Ms Lê Thị Mỹ Bình

Phone: +84 28 3822 4029

Email: info@beluxcham.com

Website: https://www.beluxcham.com

The 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit concluded in Brussels, Belgium on October 19 with the release of a Presidential Statement affirming determination of ASEM members in strengthening partnership between the two continents in coping with global challenges and sketching out orientations to enhance intra-bloc cooperation in the future.

Prior to the closing, leaders of ASEM member countries had a discussion on regional and international issues, focusing on matters related to peace, security, anti-terrorism, non- proliferation of mass destruction weapons and maritime security.

They also discussed the complicated situation in the Middle East – Northern Africa, the Korean Peninsula, Iran, and the migration crisis. Many countries showed their concern about developments affecting security environment in Asia, including the East Sea and East China Sea.

Participants affirmed their commitment to maintaining peace, stability, maritime and overflight security, safety and freedom on the basis of full implementation of international law, as well as peacefully settling disputes in line with international law, especially the UN Charter and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, refraining from using or threatening to use force, not conducting unilateral actions against international law, and implementing measures to build trust and ensure self-restraint.

Addressing the session, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc stressed that peace, cooperation and development is the main trend of the era, but the international community is also witnessing strong changes and unprecedented challenges.

He proposed strengthening trade to maintain the recovery and ensure bright prospects of the global economy.

Vietnam supports efforts by the international community in line with the UN Charter and international law to seek peaceful and sustainable solutions to conflicts and disputes in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, he said.

The Vietnamese PM made clear that Vietnam and ASEAN members are working closely with the international community, including ASEM member countries, to maintain peace, stability, maritime and overflight security, safety and freedom, thus ensuring that freedom of trade is not hindered in the East Sea which is a big international sea route connecting trade between Asia and Europe as well as the whole world.

He underlined the need to persistently promote joint efforts, strengthen measures to build trust and preventive diplomacy, deal with disputed in a peaceful manner in conformity with international law including the UNCLOS, respect diplomatic and legal processes, and restrain from actions complicating the situation.

He also recognised initial progress in negotiation for a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), highlighting Vietnam’s proposal that all parties should continue practical negotiation to soon reach the document.

The success of the 12th ASEM Summit created new motivation for the close and dynamic partnership between Asia and Europe, thus continuing to affirming the significant role of ASEM in the shaping architecture.

At a meeting on October 18 with Steven Vanackere who is also head of a group of parliamentarians from the Flemish Christian Democratic Party and a great contributor to the growth of the Vietnam-Belgium relationship, PM Phuc said the two countries have agreed upon a score of measures to step up future cooperation, including the acceleration of the signing of EVFTA, noting that the Belgian former minister has a wealth of experience in the field.

For his part, Vanackere assured his willingness to assist Vietnam in achieving the best results in this regard, adding that as a country with certain influences in the EU, Belgium has a strong voice in the signing of the trade deal.

Vietnam and Belgium hold huge potential for elevating their partnership to new heights, he said whilst highlighting Belgian enterprises’ strengths in seaports and logistics- the areas Belgium can expand its cooperation with Vietnam.

At the same time, Vietnam has well progressed in sustainable growth, while Belgium has many big businesses in science and technology, and as such the two sides should supplement each other in this field,  the former Belgian official said.

Vietnam has made great strides in sustainable development and Belgium has many leading businesses in science and technology, this giving the chance to both sides to support each other in this realm. On higher education cooperation, Belgium wants to receive more Vietnamese students, he said.

Vanackere stated that the European Council (EC)’s adoption of the free trade agreement with Vietnam indicates the union’s goodwill and aspiration to promote the deal and suggested both sides should maintain a regular exchange of information. Vietnam should provide further information on its achievements and efforts in socio-economic development, with its open and reforming government, he said.

The Vietnamese government leader agreed with Vanackere on great potential for substantial cooperation between the two countries, particularly in Vietnam’s strengths of processing industry and agriculture, and reiterated Vietnam’s readiness to import key products from Belgium.

Phuc also extolled cultural and education cooperation as Vietnam currently has 250 postgraduates studying in Belgium and the figure is expected to go up in the future, helping to improve the human resource quality of Vietnam.

He told the Belgian former FM that during his visit, the two countries’ businesses have signed many investment cooperation documents, while heads of major regions and enterprises of Belgium also showed their wish to augment mutually beneficial cooperation with Vietnam.

The EC’s approval of the EVFTA is good news and will benefit both sides, Phuc said, while affirming Vietnam’s stance on its active international integration and constant efforts in this aspect.

During the meeting, PM Phuc briefed his host on the results of his talks with Prime Minister Charles Michel and his discussions with leaders of the parliament, regions, and communities of Belgium.

Vietnam attributes importance to relations with Belgium, a founding member with an important role in the European Union (EU), Phuc said while affirming the country’s willingness to offer optimal conditions for Belgian enterprises to do business in Vietnam.

The PM voiced hope that the King and Queen of Belgium would visit Vietnam at an appropriate time in the future.

King Philippe welcomed the PM’s visit in conjunction with the 45th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties. He was reminiscent of his first visit to Vietnam in 1994 and led delegations of Belgian enterprises to the country to set up connectivity and carry out projects to improve the lives of local residents in the Mekong Delta.

The King held that he always greatly values ties with Vietnam and pays heed to Vietnam’s efforts to cope with climate change, saying that Belgium stays ready to transfer technologies to Vietnam to help mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Both sides echoed their views that bilateral ties are growing steadily across a wide range of fields, especially in economics, trade, and investment, as demonstrated by nearly 70 successful projects in Vietnam.

They also suggested advancing bilateral collaboration in fields of Belgium’s strength and Vietnam’s demand such as high-tech agriculture, green technology, renewable energy, healthcare, and education-training.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc spoke highly of growing ties between Vietnam and the Flanders region of Belgium during a reception in Brussels on October 17 for the regional Minister-President Geert Bourgeois.