Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L, 2nd) welcomes Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Hanoi, April 9, 2019 (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

Prime Minister Rutte said that since his first visit to Vietnam in 2014, Vietnam’s economy has maintained its vitality and stability.

He attended a workshop with 70 leading businesses from the Netherlands and leaders of Vietnamese ministries and departments. The businesses will stay in Vietnam for 3 more days to sign contracts with Vietnamese enterprises in agriculture, water management, wind power, and logistics, he said, adding that the Netherlands can learn a lot about sustainable development from Vietnam.

Mr. Rutte attended “Walk the talk”, a “sustainable fashion” show held by the Hanoi municipal People’s Committee and the Embassy of the Netherlands in Vietnam. He lauded textiles and garments as one of Vietnam’s key economic sectors, which he said has generated jobs for many people, including women. He said Vietnamese clothes are familiar to many Dutch customers, but asked Vietnam’s garment enterprises to conserve water and reduce wastes. Mr. Rutte said the aim of the fashion show was to encourage responsible behavior in the apparel industry.