Attending the Viet Nam EU-Belgium Business Forum jointly held by the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the Belgian Vietnamese Alliance, embassies and trade offices of Viet Nam and Belgium, PM Phuc said that the Government pledges favourable conditions to connect enterprises from both sides for the benefits of the firms and the people.

Two-way trade has increased tenfold over nearly a decade, he noted, adding that it is likely to rise to US$53 billion this year. Emphasising the Europe-Viet Nam free trade agreement (EVFTA) which is expected to open the door for the enterprises to capitalise on their cooperation potential when it takes effect, PM Phuc hoped that the European business association, especially Belgian firms, would raise their voices to push the signing of the deal.

Viet Nam will serve as a bridge for European enterprises to break into ASEAN market toward a free and fair trade, he said, underlining Viet Nam’s advantages for Belgian investments like stable socio-political and macro-economic conditions and well-developed port systems.

Together with the imminent signing of the EVFTA, Viet Nam has participated in 15 new-generation free trade agreements, which means that if Belgian firms enter Viet Nam, they will have access to a global market, he underlined. At the forum, PM Phuc and officials of both nations witnessed the signing of several cooperation documents between the VCCI and the Belgian Vietnamese Alliance, Viet Nam Post and Telecommunication Group and European mobile network business centre, and Viet Nam Project company and Sarens Group.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Belgium – Viet Nam Friendship Alliance Andries Gryffoy said Belgian firms are interested in seeking opportunities in health care, real estate, green energy, food, beverages, seaport infrastructure and other fields in Viet Nam, adding that they are promising investors. He said Belgium boasts a business-friendly government, dynamic research environment, and education system up to international standards and high labour productivity.

Lying in the heart of the EU with a population of 420 million and modern infrastructure, Belgium focuses on industries such as aerospace, chemicals, energy, waste and wastewater treatment, artificial intelligence and 4.0 technology, which are potential fields for partnership with Vietnamese firms, he said.

The same day, PM Phuc had working sessions with representatives from EU and Belgian leading firms operating in Viet Nam, during which they informed the Vietnamese leader on outcomes and investment and business plans in the Southeast Asian nation in such fields as oil and gas, renewable energy, agriculture, fertiliser and insecticide production, seaport infrastructure, rubber and tire production. They also made recommendations on how to accelerate cooperation between the business communities of Viet Nam and the EU, as well as between those of Viet Nam and Belgium in particular.

On October 16, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc received leaders of Solveigh and Nijhuis – the Dutch businesses with experience in anti-erosion, water exploitation and use, and carrying out a climate change adaptation project in central Viet Nam.

The PM hailed Solveigh and Nijhuis as well as other Dutch partners in conducting surveys, research and working solutions to minimise coastal erosion in Viet Nam. He described their work as a specific action to implement cooperation programmes within the framework of the strategic partnership on adaptation to climate change and water management between Viet Nam and the Netherlands.

Menno Holterman, managing director of Nijhuis, said the project’s partners inspected erosion in Hoi An and agreed to carry out another project to address challenges in the area. It aims to improve safety and livelihood for locals, and protect and restore Hoi An’s coast, while forming new eco-system tourist sites there. Investment for this will be arranged by European and Dutch organisations and businesses and Viet Nam’s T&T group.

Representatives of the two Dutch groups expressed their wish to continue receiving attention and facilitation from the Prime Minister and relevant agencies of Viet Nam during the project’s implementation.

Welcoming proposals from Dutch organisations and businesses, PM Phuc said the Vietnamese Government hopes for experience-sharing and support on human resources and technology from the Dutch partners to solve urgent issues in Viet Nam, especially coastal and riverbank erosion and subsidence, climate change response, and helping local people’s sustainable socio-economic development.

The PM suggested Dutch and Vietnamese partners coordinate with the People’s Committee of Quang Nam Province to accelerate the study and survey to have an optimal plan.

The two Dutch groups, T&T group and other partners were asked to work with Viet Nam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Quang Nam authorities to reach an implementation plan.