Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính had a meeting with the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Henri, at the Grand Ducal Palace on December 10. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

LUXEMBOURG — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính had a meeting with the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Henri, at the Grand Ducal Palace on December 10 (local time) as part of his official visit to Luxembourg.

PM Chính took the occasion to affirm that Việt Nam attached importance to and wanted to strengthen its comprehensive cooperation with Luxembourg, a founding member of the European Union (EU).

The Grand Duke shared his good impression from his visit to Việt Nam 10 years ago, and voiced support for the will of the two countries’ Governments to take their bilateral relationship into a new period of development.

The two sides took note with pleasures the development of bilateral cooperation, especially in investment, since the two countries established diplomatic ties nearly 50 years ago.

PM Chính conveyed an invitation from Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng and President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc to the Grand Duke of Luxembourg to visit Việt Nam in 2023 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The Grand Duke expressed his wish to visit Việt Nam again to witness the Southeast Asian country’s socio-economic achievements and further deepen the Luxembourg-Việt Nam cooperation, first of all in green finance and education-training.

The Vietnamese government leader shared with the Grand Duke the resolve of the two governments to promote cooperation in potential fields such as green finance, renewable energy, logistics connectivity and the early formation of a strategic partnership on green finance, with the aim of optimising Luxembourg’s strengths and helping Việt Nam implement its green growth strategy in 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050, and deliver on its commitments on climate change at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26).

Regarding economy-trade, the two leaders agreed on the need to effectively implement the EU-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). PM Chính asked the Luxembourg side to push for the early ratification of the EU-Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) by other EU members.

Việt Nam also hoped to receive Luxembourg’s support in finance and technology during the transition to and development of renewable energy, and in the establishment of a just energy transition partnership (JETP) with G7 and international partners on the basis of ensuring harmonious interests of all parties so as to together respond to global issues, Chính said.

Grand Duke Henri spoke highly of Việt Nam’s role in the region and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He noted his concern about climate change in the Mekong Delta, which he considered a key issue in the bilateral relations between the two countries. He also pledged to support Việt Nam in realising green growth targets.

The Grand Duke said he would support and encourage Luxembourg firms to increase investment in Việt Nam in fields such as digital transformation, renewable energy, strategic infrastructure. He also advocated stronger cooperation in education-training, culture, sports and tourism, people-to-people exchanges, and especially the provision of more scholarships for Vietnamese students to receive education in Luxembourg.

PM Chính thanked the Grand Duke for the support, and suggested that he continue to create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in Luxembourg in their integration into the host society. — VNS