At the meeting, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, Nguyen Van Nen, expressed his joy at the King and Queen of Belgium’s visit to Vietnam and their return to Ho Chi Minh City. It marks the first state visit after more than 50 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Belgium, opening a new chapter in bilateral ties and promoting more profound, substantive, and effective cooperation.
On behalf of the leaders and people of Ho Chi Minh City, the city Party Chief expressed his sincere thanks to the King and Queen of Belgium, as well as the Belgian Parliament, Government, and people, for their meaningful and profound humanitarian activities over the years in fields such as healthcare, education, and social security in Vietnam, contributing to deepening relationships between Vietnam and Belgium after more than 50 years of diplomatic ties.
Mr. Nguyen Van Nen especially appreciated and expressed his sincere thanks and admiration for the Belgian Chamber of Representatives for being the first foreign parliament to pass a resolution supporting victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam in October 2023, contributing to raising international attention and support for Agent Orange victims. The Belgian Parliament's decision is a moral action featuring a profound significance towards the Vietnamese people.
Secretary Nguyen Van Nen also expressed heartfelt gratitude to Queen Mathilde, who is the Honorary President of UNICEF Belgium, for her significant contributions in the fields of healthcare, education, and support for disadvantaged children in Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City. He also thanked Belgium for its support and assistance to Ho Chi Minh City during the city's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said that Ho Chi Minh City hoped to cooperate with Belgian localities and partners in potential areas, including education, healthcare, environmental protection, science, and technology, with the goal of developing these potentials into concrete projects to promote the friendly relationship between Vietnam and Belgium, as well as the King and Queen of Belgium’s special affection for the Vietnamese people.
King Philippe expressed his joy at returning to Ho Chi Minh City to witness the city's dynamic and strong development compared to his first visit in 1994.
The King emphasized that, in the context of the current global situation as difficult and unpredictable, Belgium and Vietnam need to further strengthen their solidarity and enhance cooperation between the two countries. During this visit to Vietnam, King Philippe observed the positive progress of joint projects between Belgium and Vietnam and also recognized that there is still much potential for further cooperation, particularly in the fields of education and training.
Belgium would further promote social projects in Ho Chi Minh City with the goal of not only addressing investment issues but also bringing tangible benefits to the local community, contributing to the development of the relationship between the two nations. Additionally, Belgium also aims to further enhance cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises in areas where Belgium has potential.
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