President hosts Belgian King Philippe in Ha Noi

He warmly welcomed the Belgian King's first state visit to Viet Nam since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1973, adding that the visit marks an important historical milestone, and opens a new chapter in the friendly relations between the two nations.

The President affirmed that Viet Nam always treasures and seeks to strengthen multifaceted cooperation with Belgium, a key member of the EU with an important role and voice.

He also expressed deep appreciation for the valuable support of the Belgian people for Viet Nam's struggle for national independence in the past, as well as for the goodwill and contributions of the King and Queen of Belgium to Viet Nam, its people, and bilateral relations in recent times.

Luong expressed his gratitude to Belgium for passing a resolution in support of the Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims in Viet Nam.

He underlined the importance of this resolution for Viet Nam and proposed that both countries actively implement the resolution in the coming period, contributing to raising international awareness of the consequences of AO in the country.

The Vietnamese President urged Belgium to soon ratify the EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) to promote fair and mutually beneficial investment relations between businesses from both countries.

He also encouraged Belgian enterprises to expand their investments in Viet Nam, particularly in sectors where Belgium has strengths, such as high technology, renewable energy, digital transformation, and strategic infrastructure.

Additionally, he called on Belgium to advocate for the European Commission (EC) to lift the "yellow card" warning on Viet Nam's seafood exports.

King Philippe, for his part, expressed his delight at returning to Viet Nam after three previous visits as the Crown Prince.

The King congratulated Viet Nam on its remarkable socio-economic development achievements in recent years, asserting Belgium's appreciation for Viet Nam's role and position in the Asia-Pacific region.

He hoped to strengthen ties with Viet Nam in areas where both countries have strengths and potential.

King Philippe expressed his hope that Belgian businesses in sectors such as wastewater treatment, energy, and rare mineral extraction would have opportunities to participate in investment and business activities in Viet Nam.

The two leaders discussed major to deepen and enhance the traditional friendship towards a more substantive and effective manner, including the enhancement of all-level delegation exchanges and visits, especially high-level exchanges, across all channels.

They vowed to effectively implement existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms while considering to launch new mechanisms to deepen sectoral cooperation between the two countries.

The host and the guest pledged to work closely and support each other at international forums and organizations, such as the ASEAN-EU framework, the Francophonie, and the United Nations (UN)—especially at the UN Human Rights Council, where both countries are serving as members for the 2023-2025 term.

Regarding economy and trade, a key pillar of Viet Nam-Belgium relations, the two leaders agreed to effectively carry out the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

They stressed the significance of implementing the strategic partnership on agriculture by promoting circular agricultural models, smart agriculture, and enhancing technology transfer between research and training institutions in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries to support Viet Nam's climate change response, particularly in the Mekong Delta region.

They also agreed to explore the development of an agricultural cooperation program between Viet Nam and various regions of Belgium.

Both sides asserted to strengthen ties in key areas such as agriculture, education and training, culture and tourism, defense and security, science and technology, and local-to-local linkages.

They also committed to expanding collaboration into other potential fields, including green technology, artificial intelligence, innovation, high technology, startup ecosystem development, and high-quality human resource training, particularly in semiconductor industry.

Regarding regional and international issues of mutual concern, both sides affirmed the importance of promoting multilateralism and upholding international law.

They emphasized the need to resolve disputes in the East Sea via peaceful means, based on the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), contributing to maintaining peace, stability, security, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the region and globally, fostering cooperation and shared prosperity worldwide.

The two leaders witnessed the signing ceremony of cooperation agreements in various fields, including culture, trade, climate change response, and support for AO victims./.