During the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nghi highly appreciated the ambassador’s role in advancing Vietnam–Netherlands relations.
He noted that the bilateral partnership has grown significantly, marked by effective cooperation in key areas, including water management, sustainable agricultural development, and climate change mitigation.
According to the Standing Vice Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, Nguyen Thanh Nghi, the Netherlands is currently the largest European Union investor in Ho Chi Minh City, with total investment exceeding US$5 billion. The particularly strong cooperation at the local level, including the partnership between Ho Chi Minh City and Rotterdam, has made significant progress. In 2023, the two cities signed a memorandum of understanding on climate change adaptation and flood management in Ho Chi Minh City.
Beginning July 1, Ho Chi Minh City will be merged with the neighboring provinces of Binh Duong and Ba Ria–Vung Tau to open greater potential for socio-economic development. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nghi proposed expanding collaboration into several key areas, including technology transfer, capacity building in port operations, high-tech industries, and logistics.
Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam, Kees van Baar expressed his delight at the growing strength of cooperation between the Netherlands and Vietnam in general and between Rotterdam and Ho Chi Minh City in particular. The partnership has been especially fruitful in key areas such as port development, water management, and flood prevention.
According to the ambassador, the two sides have recently expanded their collaboration into other sectors, including logistics and high technology, and there remains significant potential for cooperation in the fields of culture and arts.
The Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam said that the Netherlands wants to accelerate the implementation of a flood risk management project in Thu Duc City and a port development assessment project between Ho Chi Minh City and Rotterdam in the coming time.
He believed that the strong diplomatic ties between the two countries, particularly the partnership with Ho Chi Minh City, will continue to deepen, delivering tangible benefits for both citizens and the business community.
Standing Vice Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, Nguyen Thanh Nghi, affirmed that Ho Chi Minh City always creates favorable conditions for foreign investment activities, including those from Dutch enterprises.
Regarding the projects of interest to the Netherlands, he confirmed that the city will continue to carry out the flood risk management project in Thu Duc City and provide feedback on the port development assessment project between Ho Chi Minh City and Rotterdam soon.
The Ho Chi Minh City leader believed that the Vietnam–Netherlands relationship, and particularly the partnership between Ho Chi Minh City and the Netherlands, holds strong potential for continued growth in the years ahead.
