Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh meets with King Philippe of Belgium during his State visit to Vietnam. (Photo: Duong Giang/Reuters)

The Prime Minister said: "I hope that the King’s visit would yield concrete outcomes, further strengthening the Strategic Partnership on Agriculture, which Vietnam and Belgium established in 2018 and expand cooperation in key areas such as education and training, science, innovation, digital transformation, culture, arts, green transition, and the circular economy. The visit would elevate the Vietnam-Belgium relationship to a new phase of development, characterized by greater political trust, stronger people-to-people exchanges, and more effective economic collaboration."

At the meeting (Photo: Duong Giang/Reuter)

King Philippe acknowledged Belgium’s ongoing cooperation projects in Vietnam, highlighting support for victims of Agent Orange as one of the notable initiatives. He also noted that the Belgian Parliament recently passed a resolution to assist Vietnamese Agent Orange victims, demonstrating Belgium’s commitment to humanitarian support.

On economic and trade relations, a key pillar of Vietnam-Belgium ties, the two leaders agreed on the importance of effectively implementing the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). King Philippe affirmed that Belgian businesses are keen to expand investments in Vietnam, particularly in high technology, renewable energy, digital transformation, and strategic infrastructure, areas where Belgium holds significant expertise.