Vietnamese President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (left) receives the credentials from the newly-appointed Dutch Ambassador Kees Van Baar in Hà Nội on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Monday hosted separate receptions in Hà Nội for Ambassadors of the Netherlands, Hungary, Australia and Luxembourg as they came to present their credentials.

Receiving Dutch Ambassador Kees Van Baar, President Phúc thanked the Netherlands for providing Việt Nam with one million COVID-19 vaccine doses.

On the back of the bilateral comprehensive partnership, he asked the European nation to invest big in Việt Nam’s hi-tech and seaport sectors towards raising two-way trade to US$30 billion during the ambassador’s tenure.

He thanked the Netherlands for its support for Việt Nam’s candidacy for the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023-25 tenure and noted that Việt Nam would back the Netherlands' bid for a seat at the council for the 2024-26 term.

On the occasion, he suggested the Netherlands and the European Union back Việt Nam and ASEAN’s stance on protecting law abidance at seas and oceans; maintaining peace, stability, freedom, safety and security of aviation and navigation in the South China Sea; and peacefully settling disputes in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Kees Van Baar, for his part, said water management and climate change response should be one of the priorities in their bilateral ties. He also wished to enhance bilateral trade and investment and encourage Dutch firms to operate effectively in Việt Nam.

As 2023 marks the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties, he said Dutch firms would work with Việt Nam to hold seminars and conferences to share experience in climate change response. The Netherlands would also push for the EU’s lifting of a “yellow card” warning on Vietnamese seafood, he added.

President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc had a meeting with Hungarian Ambassador Baloghdi Tibor. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

Meeting with Hungarian Ambassador Baloghdi Tibor, President Phúc agreed with the diplomat’s proposal to facilitate all-level visits, thus expanding all-around ties after Hungary became the first comprehensive partner of Việt Nam in Central and Eastern Europe in 2018.

The President also hoped that Hungary would provide more scholarships for Vietnamese students and continue partnering with Việt Nam in the supply of official development assistance.

Tibor, for his part, wished to promote high-level visits and people-to-people exchanges, including completing and screening a film on the bilateral friendship as well as boosting trade and investment cooperation.

With nearly 900 Vietnamese students now studying in Hungary, he believed that they would follow the steps of the previous generations to cultivate the long-standing ties.

President Phúc receives the credentials from Australian Ambassador Andrew John Lech Goledznowski. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

In the meeting with Australian Ambassador Andrew John Lech Goledznowski, the President expressed his delight at the debut of the Việt Nam-Australia Centre in Việt Nam.

He suggested Australia create favourable conditions for its Vietnamese community and simplify procedures for Vietnamese students to return to the country, while reinforcing people-to-people exchanges, cooperation in climate change response, energy transition, digital economy and hi-tech agriculture.

President Phúc also wished that during his tenure, the ambassador would intensify bilateral collaboration in trade, investment, national defence-security, agriculture and labour, among others.

The State leader took this occasion to thank Australia for providing Việt Nam with 22.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, becoming the second biggest donor of COVID-19 vaccines for the Southeast Asian country.

The ambassador said Australia wanted to upgrade bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, and further deepen ties in healthcare.

On the occasion, he conveyed the Australian Governor-General's invitation to President Phúc to visit the country.

President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc receives Ambassador of Luxembourg Patrick Hemmer.  VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

At the reception for Ambassador of Luxembourg Patrick Hemmer, President Phúc stressed Việt Nam's priority given to its friendship and cooperation with Luxembourg in its overall ties with the European Union.  

Việt Nam would like to cooperate with Luxembourg in various fields such as green development, education-training and hi-tech, he said.

The President also proposed the European nation back Việt Nam's bid for a seat in the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-25 tenure and work closely with Việt Nam to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties next year.

Hemmer agreed with the President’s proposal to lift two-way trade and investment ties, especially in green economy.

Having thanked Việt Nam for its support for Luxembourg's candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council in the 2022-24 term, the ambassador said his country would back Việt Nam at multilateral forums and its bid for a seat in the council for the 2023-25 tenure. — VNS