Vietnam, Netherlands agree to lift bilateral trade to $15 bln

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte on Wednesday agreed to improve trade ties by raising the bilateral trade turnover to $15 billion.

During phone talks, the two leaders spoke highly of the recent improvements in the warm relationship between Vietnam and the Netherlands.

PM Chinh reaffirmed Vietnam’s steadfast commitment to prioritizing the development of a comprehensive partnership with the Netherlands, referring to the country as "Vietnam’s European friend".

He also said how much he appreciated the significance of the Dutch Prime Minister's official visit to Vietnam in November 2023, which left the nation and its people with many positive and priceless memories.

Chinh praised the ministries and sectors of the two nations for their proactive and efficient implementation of previous agreements and commitments, which have significantly and favourably advanced existing bilateral cooperation.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the two countries can share experiences and learn from each other in many areas.

In order to fortify friendship and political confidence, he agreed that the two sides would boost the exchange of delegations at all levels through State, Government and National Assembly channels.

Vietnam and the Netherlands will continue to coordinate closely and support each other at international forums and organizations, can contribute to regional and global peace and with security and development issues, he said.

The two sides agreed to work closely for the preparations of the State visit to Vietnam by the King and Queen of the Netherlands in the near future.

They also agreed to plan events to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the comprehensive partnership framework's implementation (2019–2024), the 10 years of the strategic partnership framework on sustainable agriculture and food security (2014-2024) and the 15 years of the framework on climate change adaptation and water management in 2025.

The leaders also pledged to take advantage of opportunities brought by the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Prime Minister Chinh proposed the Netherlands soon complete the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and urged the EU Commission to remove the illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing yellow cards.

Chính suggested that the Netherlands assist Vietnam in putting the Mekong Delta plan into action for the 2021-2030 period, with a focus towards 2050 and in developing urban areas in the central coast region to adapt to climate change.

He stated that the two nations should strengthen their defence and security cooperation, particularly in shipbuilding, training for UN peacekeeping and in the fight against organised crime and terrorism.

Since his first visit to Vietnam in 2014, Rutte emphasized that he has consistently been interested in the development of the Mekong Delta region.

He affirmed his wish to encourage Dutch businesses to invest in Vietnam, in areas such as high technology, electronic circuit production, semiconductor equipment, seaports, shipbuilding technology, logistics connections and strategic infrastructure.

During the phone talks, the two sides also discussed a number of international and regional issues of mutual concern, specifically those regarding the East Sea (internationally known as South China Sea) issue.

The two Prime Ministers highlighted the importance of ensuring security, safety, freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution of disputes on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.