Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA
(VOVworld) – Vietnam considers the EU one of its important partners and attaches great importance to cooperating with the EU. Vietnamese Ambassador to Brussels Pham Sanh Chau told the press ahead of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s official visit to Belgium and the European Union, starting Sunday. Ambassador Chau said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit will create a political impetus for both sides to quickly complete EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) negotiations as well as to start a new cooperation period between Vietnam and Belgium and the EU. During this trip, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso will issue a Political Statement where both leaders stress the importance of quickly signing the Free Trade Agreement to further boost the bilateral comprehensive partnership for mutual benefit. They will witness the signing of a document welcoming the EU’s decision to add 400 million euros worth of aids for Vietnam in the 2014-2020 period, up 30% from the 2007-2013 period. With its commitment, the EU will be Vietnam’s largest ODA provider.

Ambassador Chau said Vietnam considers the EU its important partner, a large market with potential direct investment sources. Meanwhile, the EU praises Vietnam’s potential considering Vietnam its important partner in implementing its Asia strategy. Ambassador Chau confirmed that bilateral ties are in the finest ever development and will reach breakthroughs with the FTA to be signed in the next few months.