Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung‘s European trip is designed to examine ways to push up comprehensive, substantial and effective relations between Vietnam and its European partners. On October 12, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung led a high level delegation to pay official visits to Belgium, the European Union (EU) and Germany from October 13-15. Dung is scheduled to attend the 10th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 10) in Milan and visit Italy from October 16-17 and the Vatican on October 18. The visits are made at the invitation of Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, European Commission (EC) President Manuel Barroso, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Pope Francis. PM Dung is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, Minister and Head of the Government Office Nguyen Van Nen, Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang, Minister of Information and Communication Nguyen Bac Son and other officials. PM Dung’s visits to the EU, Germany, Belgium and Italy aim to promote wide-ranging cooperation with the EU as well as its members and accelerate the finalization of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) negotiations. During his official visit to Belgium at the invitation of Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, the two sides will seek measures to foster bilateral partnership across a variety of fields- seaport, logistics, green growth, high technology, and development cooperation. Since the two countries set up their diplomatic relations in 1973, they enjoyed growing ties and closer coordination at multilateral forums, especially the United Nations and the framework of ASEM and the ASEAN-EU cooperation. Bilateral trade has seen rapid growth, reaching US$1.2 billion in 2010 from US$395.4 million in 2000. The figure hit US$1.8 billion last year, up 17% on year, and US$1.3 billion in the first seven months of this year. Belgium is currently the sixth largest export market of Vietnam among European Union (EU) members, consuming mainly footwear, apparels, seafood, coffee, handbags, plastics and rubber. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s imports from Belgium include machines and spare parts, steel, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. By August this year, Belgium had 15 projects valued at US$155 million in Vietnam, ranking 35th among 96 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. Four years ago, PM Dung and European Commission (EC) President Barroso announced a decision to kick start negotiations on this important trade pact. After 10 rounds of negotiations achieving positive results, the two sides expressed their resolve to conclude their negotiations later this year and specify commitments including the use of EUR400 million in ODA provided by the EU for Vietnam throughout 2020 with a focus on energy sustainability and national governance. Vietnam enjoyed average US$3-5 billion in trade surplus with the EU over the past decade, equivalent to 50% of its exports. By the end of August this year, 23 out of 28 EU members invested in Vietnam with 1,503 projects totalling US$18.55 billion. The EU and its members are the second ODA and leading non-refundable aid providers for Vietnam. During the visit to Germany, the two countries will deploy the Vietnam-Germany Strategic Action Plan, promote bilateral cooperation and discuss preparations for the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year. Starting their diplomatic ties in 1975, Vietnam and Germany upgraded their relations to strategic partnership in October 2011 during Chancellor Angela Merkel‘s visit. Bilateral trade has grown 10% averagely recently, reaching US$7.7 billion last year, a rise of 18 percent year on year, and US$4.9 billion in the first eight months of this year. By August 2014, 232 valid Germany-invested projects have operated in Vietnam with a total investment of US$1.25 billion, notably in manufacture, energy, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The country also pledged US$100 million in ODA for Vietnam in the 2014-15 period, focusing on areas of the environment, energy and vocational training. After his official visits to the EU, Belgium and Germany, Dung will fly to Milan, Italy for the 10th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 10). This informal dialogue forum gathers Heads of State and Government from 53 member states of the two continents and EU and ASEAN Secretariat leaders. After 18 years of its participation in the ASEM, Vietnam has been always a pro-active and responsible member which has taken many initiatives to maintain mechanisms for practical cooperation on natural disaster adaptation, water resource management, food security and green growth. Attending the ASEM 10, PM Dung is one of the first three leaders to give a speech at the plenary session on global issues aiming to give proposals and initiatives of global common concern. Dung is also one of the three senior leaders in Asia to be invited to hold a dialogue with leading businesses from the two continents- Asia and Europe in the framework of the 14th Asia-Europe Business Forum. He is about to have discussions and bilateral meetings with heads of State and Government with a view to enhancing political trust and bilateral cooperation in economics, trade and investment. After the ASEM-10 Summit, PM Dung will leave Milan for Rome to visit the Vatican. This is his second visit to the Vatican in his capacity as head of the Vietnamese Government to further strengthen the Vietnam-Vatican relationship. The Joint Working Group on the Vietnam-Vatican relations has so far conducted five rounds of negotiations. Non-resident special envoy of the Vatican has also made many pastoral visits to Vietnam, and engaged in major activities run by the Vietnam Catholic Church. PM Dung’s official visits to the EU, Belgium, Germany, Italy and the Vatican, and his participation in the ASEM-10 Summit will contribute to raising Vietnam’s international profile, delivering practical benefits to the parties and promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world at large. VOV/Hanoitimes
Posted on: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 02:48:08 +0000
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