Party leader meets Belgian Crown Prince

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong meets with Crown Prince Philippe of Belgium in Brussels yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photos Tri Dung

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, who is on an official visit to Belgium and the EU, made the affirmation at his meeting with Belgian Crown Prince Philippe in Brussels on January 17.

Trong highly valued the role of the Belgian Royal in politics and thanked the Crown Prince for his support for and co-operation with Viet Nam over the past years.

Prince Philippe said he was impressed by Viet Nam 's socio-economic achievements and its people's friendliness and hospitality during his visits to the country.

Both sides said that they were delighted with positive and diverse developments in the two countries' friendship and cooperation.

They agreed to maintain high-ranking visits and all-level delegation exchanges, work closely to celebrate the 40 th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2013, and strengthen trade exchange and investment in the fields that Belgium is successful, including logistic services, seaport development, transport, green technology, space technology, heavy industry and healthcare.

The two sides also stressed that education and training cooperation is a spotlighted in bilateral relations with priority given to information technology, biological technology, geology and the environment.

VN-EU co-operation

Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong meets President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photos Tri Dung

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's visit to the European Union (EU) is a significant event in bringing the EU-Viet Nam mutually-beneficial cooperation and friendship to new heights.

The remarks were made by the Presidents of the European Commission and the European Council during their talks with Party General Secretary Trong on January 17, in Brussels, Belgium, the first destination in Trong's European tour.

Trong told the two EU senior officials that Viet Nam treasures the EU's role and position and wants to develop a long-term, stable and all-faceted relationship with the union.

In his talks with the Vietnamese leader, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said his commission attaches importance to and highly values its cooperation with Viet Nam, a country with a dynamic growth and a greater role in Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, Party leader Trong affirmed that Viet Nam sees the EU as a top partner and prioritises the union in its external policy.

He praised the role of the commission, especially its president, in developing Viet Nam-EU relations, adding that Viet Nam wishes to continue receiving effective support and co-operation from the union.

The EU pledged to increase financial assistance to Viet Nam in the 2014-2020 period, strengthen cooperation in education-training and culture, and expand ties to such potential fields as economic structure development, support industry, high technology and green development.

It is willing to provide technical assistance to Viet Nam 's industrialisation and modernisation.

The two sides agreed that the signing of the Viet Nam-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and the first negotiation round for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) are practical, important steps for Viet Nam and EU member countries to establish closer political and economic ties and all-sided cooperation and enjoy an equal partnership.

They reached a consensus on a host of measures to enhance the EU-Viet Nam ties in the coming time that will see increasing the exchange of visits of high-level delegations, speeding up PCA ratification and FTA negotiations, and establishing a foreign deputy ministerial-level political consultation mechanism.

The two sides agreed to soon implement cooperative programmes to prevent and fight terrorism and trans-national organised crimes as agreed in the Viet Nam-EU PCA, and further increase cultural exchanges to promote mutual understanding of the two sides' people.

Party chief Trong and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy sought ways and orientations to further elevate the EU-Viet Nam relations.

The European Council President lauded Viet Nam 's role and position as well as its renewal policy and important achievements in maintaining an economic growth, reducing hunger and eliminating poverty.

He expressed his wishes to cement and further the friendship and cooperation between the EU and Viet Nam.

For his part, Party leader Trong hailed the EU's maintenance of ODA provision for Viet Nam in the 2014-2020 period.

Trong said he expects the EU to soon recognise Viet Nam 's market economic status and facilitate long-term investments and business activities of both sides' businesspeople.

Trong and the two EU officials laid stress on the importance of ASEAN-EU ties.

He assured that in the capacity as the coordinating country for ASEAN-EU relations, Viet Nam will work with and support the EU in boosting its ties with the association in all fields to meet both sides' interests.

Regarding the East Sea issue, he said Viet Nam highly values the EU's constructive contributions to safeguarding maritime security and safety and maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea.

The two EU officials said the EU supports efforts to build Southeast Asia of peace, stability, cooperation and friendship as well as backs the settlement of disputes by peaceful measures and on the basis of international law and the early establishment of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea. — VNS