Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính holds phone talks with Prime Minister of Netherlands Mark Rutte on Monday. (Photo: Lao Dong)

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte discussed a score of measures to further promote the Vietnam - Netherlands comprehensive partnership in the time ahead during their phone talks held on December 6.

PM Chinh highly appreciated and thanked the Dutch Government and business community for providing medical equipment and supplies worth VND 40 billion (US$ 1,7 million) to help Vietnam overcome the difficult period caused by the 4th pandemic wave.

He affirmed that Vietnam always values its friendship and all-around cooperation with the Netherlands in politics-diplomacy, trade-investment, security-defense, culture, education, farming, and climate change adaptation, VOV reported.

The Vietnamese Government leader emphasized that PM Mark Rutte is a close friend of Vietnam who has made positive contributions to building the foundation and promoting the development of Vietnam-Netherlands relations, especially since the two countries established a strategic partnership in the field of climate change adaptation and water management in 2010.

The implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) since August 2020 has brought in many opportunities for Vietnamese and Dutch businesses to expand cooperation, helping many Vietnamese farm products to get access to EU market with preferential taxes.

PM Chinh appreciated that the Netherlands was one of the countries with the world’s leading logistics system and the country served as the biggest market for Vietnam’s export products in EU as well as an important gateway for Vietnamese products to enter the EU.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. (Photo: Getty)

PM Chinh wished that the Netherlands would support Vietnam to connect with European ports and industrial zones, helping to increase the number of Vietnamese products exported to these markets; and promote the Dutch Parliament to soon ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Agreement (EVIPA) in order to facilitate trade and investment activities between the two countries, VNS reported.

Rutte, for his part, hailed Vietnam’s achievements over the past time, particularly in Covid-19 prevention and control. He suggested both nations should work closely together in enhancing trade and investment for recovery and growth. According to the Dutch PM, Vietnam and the Netherlands are both countries heavily affected by climate change that require great efforts to accelerate the realization of proposed measures and plans.

The leaders agreed that cooperation programs in the coming time will include a master planning of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta region for sustainable development in response to climate change toward 2030 with a vision to 2050; and a program on sustainable agricultural transformation in the delta. They also consented to spur the development of a circular economy and renewable energy to serve the goals of sustainable growth in each country.

They concurred to maintain regular exchange mechanisms and cooperation orientations regarding seaports, education, and tourism.

They discussed measures to foster cooperation in regional and multilateral forums, including issues relating to the Bien Dong Sea (South China Sea), stressing the importance of ensuring peace, stability, security, and safety of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, resolving disputes by peaceful means through dialogue and based on international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS); fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC); heading towards the building of an efficient and effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC).

PM Chinh invited his Dutch counterpart to visit Vietnam and the latter accepted with pleasure. The Dutch PM said he wished to soon welcome the Vietnamese PM to visit the Netherlands in the future.

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