Today, General Secretary To Lam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man each held official meetings with King Philippe of Belgium, marking a significant highlight of His Majesty’s fourth visit to Vietnam.

General Secretary To Lam emphasized the historical importance of the royal visit and expressed strong belief that the presence of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde - accompanied by high-level government officials, business leaders, university administrators, and research institutions - would inject fresh momentum into the Vietnam–Belgium partnership.

He expressed appreciation for the longstanding support from the Belgian people, as well as the personal contributions of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde to bilateral relations. To deepen ties, he proposed expanding cooperation in trade and investment, sustainable agriculture, high-quality human resource training, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.

The General Secretary also encouraged stronger collaboration in science and technology, particularly through Belgium’s successful university-business innovation models.

King Philippe agreed, highlighting the geographical complementarity between Belgium in the heart of Europe and Vietnam in Southeast Asia - making both countries natural gateways for each other in their respective regions.

He endorsed the General Secretary’s evaluation of the strong, 50-year relationship and stressed the need for joint action to address global challenges such as climate change and environmental protection.

To further economic integration, the General Secretary urged Belgium to expedite its ratification of the EU–Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), which would help attract new waves of investment from both Belgium and the EU into Vietnam.

Sharing Vietnam’s 40-year journey of Đổi mới and socio-economic reform, General Secretary To Lam underscored the country’s commitment to sustainable development.

Impressed by Vietnam’s transformation, King Philippe reflected on witnessing these achievements firsthand during his four visits since his first trip in 1994.

He expressed support for deeper cooperation in education and training, defense and security, renewable energy - particularly wind turbine and green hydrogen development - as well as public health and Agent Orange remediation, where Belgium holds expertise.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomes King Philippe

During his meeting with the Belgian monarch, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh recalled the warm and fruitful outcomes of his official visit to Belgium in December 2022.

King Philippe praised Vietnam’s rapid development and voiced confidence in the country’s continued success in meeting its strategic goals.

Both leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in traditional areas such as trade, culture and the arts, tourism, and local-level partnerships. Belgium affirmed its high regard for Vietnam’s role and position in the region and expressed interest in strengthening collaboration in education, healthcare, green energy, seaport development, science, and innovation.

King Philippe thanked Prime Minister Chinh for his support of Belgian–Vietnamese relations. In return, Prime Minister Chinh called on Belgium to implement a concrete project supporting victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam, following the Belgian Parliament’s October 2023 resolution on the matter.

To support Vietnam’s rise in the “new era,” the Prime Minister proposed practical cooperation in Belgium’s key strengths - including high technology, circular economy, strategic infrastructure, and human resource training. Both sides agreed to optimize existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms and promote people-to-people exchange.

Prime Minister Chinh also extended a formal invitation to Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to visit Vietnam.

The two leaders also agreed to coordinate closely in international and regional forums to promote multilateralism, uphold international law, and jointly address global challenges.

National Assembly Chairman highlights new chapter in bilateral ties

Meeting with King Philippe, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man applauded Belgium for being the first country in the world to pass a resolution in support of Vietnamese Agent Orange victims. He said this landmark action serves to raise international awareness and called on other EU parliaments to adopt similar resolutions.

Chairman Tran Thanh Man celebrated the strong and growing friendship between Vietnam and Belgium, as well as the deepening ties between the two countries’ legislative bodies.

King Philippe affirmed Vietnam’s rising status as a favored destination for Belgian tourists and businesses. He supported advancing cooperation in high technology, semiconductors, green energy, precision engineering, sustainable agriculture, and education. He emphasized using both bilateral cooperation mechanisms and the Strategic Agricultural Partnership framework.

Belgium, he added, is willing to assist Vietnam in detoxifying Agent Orange-contaminated areas using its technological expertise.

The two sides agreed to enhance exchanges between parliamentary delegations, especially between committees and friendship groups, to share legislative and oversight experiences.

King Philippe confirmed that Belgium is close to completing the ratification of the EVIPA, which he believes will benefit both nations.

Chairman Tran Thanh Man expressed gratitude and urged Belgian authorities to continue supporting the Vietnamese community in Belgium, helping them integrate successfully while acting as a bridge to strengthen bilateral friendship and cooperation.

Tran Thuong - Pham Hai