(VOVWORLD) -Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte underlined their resolve to deepen Vietnam-Netherlands relations sustainably during talks in The Hague on Monday.
The leaders agreed to maintain the exchange of delegations to strengthen mutual trust and promote cooperation in climate change response; and water management, high-tech, sustainable agriculture; renewable energy; marine economy; and seaport and logistics services. Prime Minister Rutte said Vietnam is the Netherlands’ important partner and potential market in Southeast Asia.
 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Prime Minister Mark Rutte sign a protocol on sustainable development in the Mekong Delta, July 10, 2017. |
The two Prime Ministers noted that the Netherlands has become Vietnam’s second largest trading partner in Europe, with two-way trade reaching 6.7 billion USD last year. The Netherlands is also the biggest European investor in Vietnam, with total registered investment worth 7.7 billion USD.
Prime Minister Rutte pledged to help Vietnam in updating the Mekong River Plan, restructuring and building regional connectivity, accessing suitable financial resources, and regional planning for climate change adaptation.
The two countries will also tighten their coordination and mutual support at multilateral organizations and forums and in national defense-security and UN peacekeeping activities.
The leaders reiterated the importance of safeguarding peace, stability, security and navigation and overflight safety and freedom in the East Sea.
At the end of the talks, the two sides issued a joint statement on the outcomes of Prime Minister Phuc’s 4-day official visit to the Netherlands, which concludes on Tuesday.
The statement said that Vietnam and the Netherlands will maintain high-level contacts including periodic consultations between the two Foreign Ministries. Both sides underscored the importance of boosting bilateral trade and investment and creating the best conditions for Vietnamese and Dutch businesses, particularly in the framework of the Vietnam-European Union Free Trade Agreement. Prime Minister Phuc and Prime Minister Rutte praised progress in aviation cooperation and agreed to push for the transfer of Dutch technologies to Vietnam. They also discussed the expansion of defense cooperation, especially in maritime security.