Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel is welcomed by Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên at Nội Bài International Airport. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel arrived in Hà Nội on Wednesday morning and started an official visit to Việt Nam at the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính.

He was welcomed by Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên at Nội Bài International Airport.

Luxembourg’s PM and the high-ranking delegation visited the World Natural Heritage site Hạ Long Bay in the northern province of Quảng Ninh on Wednesday.

Cao Tường Huy, acting chairman of the provincial People's Committee, expressed his honor as Luxembourg’s PM picked Hạ Long Bay as one of the destinations to visit during his trip to Việt Nam.

Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel gratefully acknowledged the affection and respectful welcome of Quảng Ninh Province's leaders.

He expressed his joy in visiting Hạ Long Bay for the first time, feeling the beauty of the landscape as well as the hospitality of the local people.

The Luxembourg’s PM will attend the official welcome ceremony hosted by PM Chính on Thursday.

The two PMs are expected to witness a series of agreements between the two countries’ ministries and agencies and meet with the media to announce the result of their talks.

Before the welcome ceremony, the Prime Minister of Luxembourg will enter the Hồ Chí Minh Mausoleum to lay a wreath, pay tribute to the Heroes and Martyrs at the Bắc Sơn Monument, and visit President Hồ Chí Minh Relic Site.

Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and his Vietnamese counterpart will visit the Temple of Literature and the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum.

He will also have a meeting with Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ and attend several activities in HCM City.

Việt Nam and Luxembourg established diplomatic relations on November 15, 1973.

As of March 2023, Luxembourg had 64 investment projects with a total capital of US$2.6 billion in Việt Nam, ranking third out of 24 member states of the European Union and 17th out of 139 countries and territories making investments in Việt Nam.

In 2022, the total bilateral trade exchange reached $187.1 million, increasing 69 per cent compared to 2020.

In December 2022, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính paid an official visit to Luxembourg, bringing the bilateral partnership to a new development period in a comprehensive, practical and effective manner. During the visit, leaders of the two sides agreed to set up a strategic partnership in green finance at an early date.

Luxembourg agreed to support the development of a new financial centre in HCM City and strengthen cooperation with Việt Nam in trade, investment, education-training, science-technology, and the stock market.

They also concurred to increase the exchange of delegations at all levels, especially high level in 2023, while jointly organising activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a European country with an area of about 2,586 square kilometres and a population of more than 647,000 people in 2022.

Luxembourg's GDP reached $91 billion in 2022, with a GDP per capita of more than $141,000. — VNS