Ambassadors of the Netherlands, Hungary, Australia, Luxembourg Officially Start Terms in Vietnam

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on September 19 hosted separate receptions in Hanoi for Ambassadors of the Netherlands, Hungary, Australia and Luxembourg as they came to present their credentials, VNA reported.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc receives Dutch Ambassador Kees Van Baar. Photo: VGP

Receiving Dutch Ambassador Kees Van Baar, President Phuc thanked the Netherlands for providing Vietnam with 1 million Covid-19 vaccine doses.

On the back of the bilateral comprehensive partnership, he asked the European nation to invest big in Vietnam’s hi-tech and seaport sectors towards raising two-way trade to USD 30 billion during the ambassador’s tenure.

He thanked the Netherlands for its support for Vietnam's candidacy for the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 tenure and noted that Vietnam backs the Netherlands' bid for a seat at the council for the 2024-2026 term.

On the occasion, he suggested the Netherlands and the European Union back Vietnam and ASEAN’s stance on protecting law abidance at seas and oceans; maintaining peace, stability, freedom, safety, and security of aviation and navigation in the Bien Dong Sea; and peacefully settling disputes in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Kees Van Baar, for his part, emphasized the long-lasting and trusted partnership between the Netherlands and Vietnam and looked forward to celebrating 50 years of bilateral relations in 2023, adding that water management and climate change response should be one of the priorities in their bilateral ties.

He also wished to enhance bilateral trade and investment and encourage Dutch firms to operate effectively in Vietnam.

As 2023 marks the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties, he said Dutch firms will work with Vietnam to hold seminars and conferences to share experience in climate change response. The Netherlands will also push for the EU’s lifting of a “yellow card” warning on Vietnamese seafood, he added.

The Netherlands is a leading trade partner and the biggest EU investor in Vietnam.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Hungarian Ambassador Baloghdi Tibor. Photo: VGP

Meeting with Hungarian Ambassador Baloghdi Tibor, President Phuc agreed with the diplomat’s proposal to facilitate all-level visits, thus expanding all-around ties after Hungary became the first comprehensive partner of Vietnam in Central and Eastern Europe in 2018.

The President also hoped that Hungary will provide more scholarships for Vietnamese students and continue partnering with Vietnam in the supply of official development assistance.

Tibor, for his part, wished to promote high-level visits and people-to-people exchanges, including completing and screening a film on the bilateral friendship as well as boosting trade and investment cooperation.

Vietnam and Hungary share a 72-year relationship spanning different fields, particularly in education and culture. The bilateral relationship has developed positively since the two countries upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive partnership on the occasion of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to Hungary in 2018.

Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh in July had successfully wrapped up his official visits to Hungary.

Two-way trade between the two nations topped USD 1 billion in 2020, and USD 1.1 billion last year.

At present, over 800 Vietnamese are living and studying in European country.

The ceremony marks the official commencement of Australian Ambassador Andrew John Lech Goledzinowski’s mission in Vietnam.

In the meeting with Australian Ambassador Andrew John Lech Goledzinowski, the President expressed his delight at the debut of the Vietnam-Australia Centre in Vietnam.

He suggested Australia creates favorable conditions for its Vietnamese community and simplifies procedures for Vietnamese students to return to the country while reinforcing people-to-people exchanges, cooperation in climate change response, energy transition, digital economy, and hi-tech agriculture.

President Phuc also wished that during his tenure, the ambassador would intensify bilateral collaboration in trade, investment, national defense-security, agriculture, and labor, among others.

The State leader took this occasion to thank Australia for providing Vietnam with 22.2 million doses of Covid vaccines, becoming the second biggest donor of Covid vaccines for the Southeast Asian country.

The ambassador said Australia wants to upgrade bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, and further deepen ties in healthcare.

Ambassador Goledzinowski looks forward to meeting the Australian community and working closely with Vietnam over the next three years to continue to strengthen the bilateral relationship, especially during next year’s celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

On the occasion, he conveyed the Australian Governor-General's invitation to President Phuc to visit the country.

Trade and investment have become a spotlight in bilateral ties with two-way trade hitting USD 9.6 billion in seven months of this year, up nearly 40% annually. Progress has been seen in anti-crimes, culture, education, tourism and labor.

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and her Australian counterpart Penny Wong had just co-chaired the fourth Vietnam-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Canberra on the occasion of his official visit to Australia.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Ambassador of Luxembourg Patrick Hemmer (R). Photo: VNA

At the reception for Ambassador of Luxembourg Patrick Hemmer, President Phuc stressed that Vietnam always gives priority to its friendship and cooperation with Luxembourg in its overall ties with the European Union.

Vietnam wants to cooperate with Luxembourg in various fields such as green development, education training, and hi-tech, he said.

The President also proposed the European nation back Vietnam’s bid for a seat in the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 tenure and work closely with Vietnam to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties next year.

Hemmer agreed with the President’s proposal to lift two-way trade and investment ties, especially in the green economy.

Having thanked Vietnam for its support for Luxembourg's candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council in the 2022-2024 term, the ambassador said his country will back Vietnam at multilateral forums and its bid for a seat in the council for the 2023-2025 tenure.

Vietnam and Luxembourg have established diplomatic relations in 1973. Twenty years later, the two countries started their development cooperation. In 1995, Vietnam officially became a partner country of Luxembourg.

The two countries started their development cooperation in the 1990s with the first General Cooperation Agreement inked in 1995. Since then, Luxembourg has provided Vietnam with about EUR 129 million in non-refundable ODA, greatly dedicated to the country’s socio-economic development.

About 5.3 million Vietnamese people are living abroad, of whom 13,000 stay in Belgium and Luxembourg.

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