Vietnam - Belgium promote maritime, seaport and logistics cooperation
The General Secretary and President suggested that Vietnam - Belgium can focus on areas with strengths and complementary needs such as seaport management and logistics.
Within the framework of the official visit to the European Union (EU) and the Kingdom of Belgium, on the afternoon of October 22 (local time), General Secretary and President To Lam and the high-level Vietnamese delegation visited Antwerp - Bruges port in Flanders region, Antwerp province, according to VNA.
General Secretary and President To Lam said that cooperation between Vietnam and the Flanders region in the field of maritime and waterways has been nurtured over many decades, on the basis of the 1995 Friendship Cooperation Agreement and cooperation documents signed by the two sides in each period. In particular, training programs, professional exchanges and experience sharing are regularly implemented and have become an important bridge between agencies, experts and businesses of the two sides.
General Secretary and President To Lam said that towards building a modern, green, and smart seaport system; strengthening seaport connectivity with inland waterways, railways and other modes of transport; Vietnam wishes to cooperate with Belgium and the Flanders region to become increasingly in-depth, associated with specific programs and projects and bring practical benefits to both sides.
General Secretary and President To Lam believes that as these connecting routes are increasingly strengthened, Vietnamese goods will have more favorable conditions to access the Belgian and European markets; at the same time, goods, technology, services and investment opportunities from Europe will also come to Vietnam more conveniently.
In the coming time, General Secretary and President To Lam proposed that relevant agencies of the two sides continue to promote the effectiveness of existing cooperation frameworks, proactively research new, specific and long-term cooperation programs. The two sides can focus on areas with strengths and complementary needs such as seaport planning and management, seaport-railway connectivity, logistics and supply chains, digital transformation, green port development, emission reduction, training and human resource development.
Vietnam-Belgium relations have been built and nurtured over many years on the foundation of friendship, trust and mutually beneficial cooperation. The Flanders region and Antwerp - Bruges port are important partners in that relationship, especially in the fields of maritime, seaports and logistics.
General Secretary and President To Lam believes that with the good cooperation foundations that have been built, with potential and strengths complementing each other, Vietnam, Belgium and the Flanders region will open a period of increasingly deep, practical and effective cooperation. Vietnam continues to be a reliable friend and active partner of Belgium and Flanders; together promoting connectivity, expanding trade, strengthening cooperation and making practical contributions to the development and prosperity of the two countries as well as Vietnam - EU relations.
On this occasion, General Secretary and President To Lam and the high-level Vietnamese delegation witnessed the signing ceremony of the agreement between Vietnam Maritime Corporation (VIMC) and Antwerp - Bruges port on a comprehensive cooperation framework, creating a platform to promote cooperation in the fields of maritime, seaports and logistics, while strengthening trade connections between Vietnam, Belgium and Europe.
Following that, in the afternoon of the same day, General Secretary and President To Lam and the high-level Vietnamese delegation visited the Antwerp Royal Museum of Fine Arts - the largest and oldest art museum in Flanders (Belgium), owning a priceless collection spanning 7 centuries of artistic history, from the Middle Ages, Renaissance to the 20th century; attended the reception of Antwerp Governor Cathy Berx.
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