Participants in a discussion on the sidelines of the event. – VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – The Việt Nam-Belgium Friendship Association on Thursday organised a seminar to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties on March 23, 2023.

Entitled “Innovation development: The future of cooperation between Việt Nam and Belgium”, participants discussed initiatives and ideas to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in fields including culture, diplomacy, trade, education and training, scientific research, and technology.

Nguyễn Thị Thu Giang, director of the Europe Department under the Việt Nam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO), said that Belgium was one of the first western European countries to recognise and officially establish relations with the Democratic Republic of Việt Nam on March 23, 1973.

During the 1970s-1980s, the Government and people of Belgium gave Việt Nam valuable assistance through aid projects, making positive contributions to the construction and socio-economic development of Việt Nam.

Over the past 50 years, the bilateral relationship had been continuously consolidated and developed in various fields, especially politics-diplomacy, trade, agriculture, education and training, science and technology at the federal, regional, and community levels, she said.

Belgium is now Việt Nam's sixth largest trading partner in the EU, with a total investment of more than US$1.1 billion to Việt Nam, mainly in logistics and infrastructure development, which Belgium has strengths.

Việt Nam and Belgium have been actively cooperating in education, science, technology, transportation, defence and security and expanding cooperation to tackle global issues like climate change and non-conventional security.

Giang said that during complicated and unpredictable international and regional situations, solidarity and a common voice for world peace was an important factor that must be promoted to maintain the stability and development of each country and the whole world.

With a stable foundation, the good traditional friendship and people-to-people exchange cooperation between Việt Nam and Belgium had been increasingly strengthened, including many practical contributions by organisations such as Việt Nam-Belgium Friendship Association, Belgium-Việt Nam Friendship Association, and the Belgian Vietnamese Alliance.

However, according to Giang, organisations must innovate content, and change methods to attract and mobilise more resources.

She said that more activities were needed to promote cultural exchange and connection between people in Việt Nam and Belgium. – VNS