Prime Minister of Netherlands Mark Ruttee arrived at Nội Bài International Airport Wednesday night. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Đức

HÀ NỘI — Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte arrived in Hà Nội Wednesday evening, beginning his two-day official visit to Việt Nam at the invitation of Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính.

The Dutch leader and his entourage were greeted at Nội Bài International Airport by Minister of Science and Technology Huỳnh Thành Đạt, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hà Kim Ngọc, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Netherlands Ngô Hướng Nam and other officials from the foreign ministry, along with Ambassador Kees van Baar and staff of the Dutch Embassy in Việt Nam.

The visit is expected to continue lifting the bilateral relations to a new height as the two countries are celebrating the 50th founding anniversary of their diplomatic ties this year.

This will be Rutte’s third visit to Việt Nam, after his trips in June 2014 when the two countries agreed to set up a strategic partnership in agriculture and food security, and in April 2019 when the bilateral relationship was upgraded to a comprehensive partnership.

Baar said that the main focus of this visit is to promote bilateral cooperation in high technology and digital transformation.

The Netherlands is one of Việt Nam's leading important and time-tested partners. It is currently Việt Nam's biggest investor in the European Union with combined capital of US$13.7 billion, and the largest importer of Vietnamese products in Europe, with two-way trade surpassing $11 billion.

Việt Nam and the Netherlands signed an agreement on strategic partnership in climate change and water management in 2010, and another on strategic partnership in agriculture and food security in 2014. — VNS