(VOV) - Vietnam and Belgium will strengthen cooperation in prioritised areas such as seaport and logistics services, transportation, and high-, green- and aerospace technologies.

The agreement was reached during talks in Brussels on Thursday between Belgian Deputy Prime Minister, Johan Van de Lanotte, and his visiting Vietnamese counterpart Hoang Trung Hai. They said both sides would increase delegation exchanges, organise joint activities to celebrate 40 years of diplomatic ties in 2013, and work closely together at regional and international forums.
Johan Van de Lanotte, who is also Minister of Economy, Consumer Affairs, and North Sea said Belgium was ready to serve as a gateway for Vietnam to penetrate Europe.
The two leaders agreed to convene the second meeting of the Vietnam-Belgium Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation in October 2013 and work to effectively implement these projects included in the 2011-2015 cooperation programme. Following talks, they signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on business development and another MoU on hospital waste treatment in Hanoi.