The event was jointly organized by the HCMC Union of Friendship Organizations (HUFO) and the Vietnam-Netherlands Friendship Association in HCMC.
Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association cum Chairman of the Vietnam-Netherlands Friendship Association in HCMC, Tran Trong Dung affirmed that Relations between the Netherlands and Vietnam have existed for more than 400 years, starting in 1601 when the first Dutch merchants set foot in Hoi An ancient town.
Since Vietnam and the Netherlands established their diplomatic relations in April 1973, the bilateral relations between the two countries have grown strongly over the past time, including the establishment of a strategic partnership on climate change adaptation and water resources management in 2010, a strategic partnership on sustainable agriculture and food security in 2014, and Comprehensive Partnership in 2019. Since then, the two sides have deepened cooperation across various fields, consisting of politics, diplomacy, economics, trade, and investment.
A meeting connecting Dutch businesses, organizations, and governments with Vietnam was held in HCMC on March 31 with the participation of more than 140 government officials and Dutch entrepreneurs. At the event, more than 40 cooperation agreements were signed.
The Netherlands is now the largest investor from the European Union (EU) in HCMC, with a total investment of over US$5.1 billion. The city is building an action plan to implement the memorandum of understanding signed between the southern Vietnamese metropolis and the Netherlands on flood prevention and control, the Chairman of the Vietnam-Netherlands Friendship Association in HCMC said.
According to Mr. Tran Trong Dung, more than two years since its establishment, the Vietnam - Netherlands Friendship Association has organized many meaningful activities, such as a bike parade that attracted the participation of over 500 Vietnamese and Dutch cyclists, a Friendship Caravan program, propaganda activities at festivals in Dong Thap and Ninh Thuan provinces with the participation of members of the Vintage Vehicle Club.
For his part, Daniel Coenraad Stork, consul general of the Netherlands to HCMC highly appreciated the activities of the Vietnam - Netherlands Friendship Association, contributing to strengthening the relationship between the two countries.
The highlight of the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and the Netherlands is the official visit to Vietnam by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in November 2023 and the visit of the leading Dutch businesses in March, he added.
The consul general of the Netherlands to HCMC said that a semiconductor company from the Netherlands has invested in the HCMC Hi-Tech Park demonstrating that the business cooperation between the two countries is increasingly expanding.
