Permanent Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Trần Thanh Mẫn presents the letter of thanks from Vietnamese NA Chairman Vương Đình Huệ to President of the Belgian Senate Stephanie D'Hose and President of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives Eliane Tillieux adopting a resolution to call for support to Agent Orange/dioxin (AO) victims in Việt Nam in October. — VNA/VNS Photo

BRUSSELS — Permanent Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Trần Thanh Mẫn held meetings and talks with leaders of the Parliament of Belgium and the European Parliament (EP) in Brussels on November 16.

At a meeting with President of the Belgian Senate Stephanie D'Hose and President of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives Eliane Tillieux, Mẫn thanked the Belgian Chamber of Representatives for adopting a resolution to call for support to Agent Orange/dioxin (AO) victims in Việt Nam in October, and handed over the thank-you letter from NA Chairman Vương Đình Huệ to the Belgian leaders.

He affirmed that Việt Nam attaches importance to the development of cooperative ties with Belgium - an important member of the European Union (EU) - and wants to beef up comprehensive cooperation with Belgium in all fields.

Việt Nam believed that the country and Belgium will make contributions to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC)'s common affairs towards enhancing its efficiency, transparency, objectiveness and balance in the spirit of dialogue, cooperation, equality and mutual respect, Man said.

The Vietnamese leader proposed Belgium complete the process of ratifying the EU-Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) soon, thus motivating bilateral investment ties and creating favourable conditions for Belgian investors to operate in Việt Nam.

He affirmed that the Vietnamese NA will coordinate closely with the Belgian Parliament in implementing the Letter of Intent on parliamentary cooperation reached during President of the Belgian Senate Stephanie D'Hose’s recent visit to Việt Nam and hoped that the two legislatures would soon sign an agreement on parliamentary cooperation.

For her part, D'Hose lauded Vietnam’s impressive growth and its role in international organisations, including the UN Human Rights Council.

Agreeing with D'Hose, Tillieux affirmed that the parliaments of Việt Nam and Belgium have shared sound relations, and the friendship parliamentarians’ groups of the two countries have conducted active activities to promote their role in fostering the ties between the two legislatures and the two countries.

She said that the Belgian Government has paid great attention to developing economic partnership with Việt Nam and wishes to further promote bilateral investment cooperation.

Belgium's Wallonia region has chosen Việt Nam as the only Asian country to establish its delegation and carried out many activities to support Việt Nam over the past 25 years.

At his talks with First Vice President of the Belgian Senate Andries Gryfloy, Man hailed the parliaments of Flanders and Wallonia regions’ approval of the EVIPA, and suggested Belgium conclude the ratification of the agreement soon to promote the bilateral investment partnership.

Mẫn proposed Belgium call on the European Commission (EC) to remove its “yellow card” warning against Vietnamese seafood exports, taking into consideration the country's determination and efforts to fully implement the EC's recommendations on developing the sustainable fishery sector.

Mẫn welcomed the two countries' cooperation in strengthening the strategic partnership in agriculture, expressing his hope that Belgium will support Việt Nam to develop models of circular agricultural economy and smart agriculture and implement the National Strategy on Green Growth for the 2021-30 period.

The two sides should consider establishing a trilateral cooperation mechanism between Việt Nam, Belgium and an African partner with financial and logistical support from Belgium, to jointly respond to supply chain disruptions, contributing to ensuring global food security.

Noting that about 13,000 Vietnamese people are living, working and studying in Belgium, Man asked Belgium to continue creating favourable conditions for the community to settle down and successfully integrate into the host society.

For his part, Gryfloy suggested the Vietnamese side consider visa exemptions for Belgian investors and open direct flights from Brussels to Việt Nam to facilitate the investment and export cooperation between the two nations.

Permanent Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Trần Thanh Mẫn (right) and Vice President of the European Parliament Heidi Hautala had talks on November 16 (local time). — VNA/VNS Photo

At a working session with Vice President of the European Parliament Heidi Hautala, Man expressed his delight at the positive growth of Việt Nam-EU relations as well as the cooperation between the Vietnamese NA and the EP.

He called for the EP’s support for the increased cooperation between Việt Nam and the EU in the fields of green transformation, digital transformation, and response to climate change as well as the EC's removal of its "yellow card" warning against seafood imports from Việt Nam.

Mẫn also asked the EP to encourage the EU and its member countries to continue to have a strong voice and support for the stance of Việt Nam and ASEAN on the peaceful settlement of disputes in the East Sea on the basis of respect for international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Man took this occasion to invite the EP Vice President to visit Việt Nam soon.

Hautala said that the EU will soon pass a bill on corporate social responsibility assessment to promote responsible businesses. Hautala, who is in charge of issues related to the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (VPA/FLEGT) and forestry cooperation with Việt Nam, showed attention to the implementation of the agreement and Việt Nam's deforestation prevention efforts.

She hailed Việt Nam's drastic policies to fight deforestation and its commitments at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26).

On the IUU issue, the EP leader applauded Việt Nam's efforts and hoped that the EC will soon remove its yellow card against the country's seafood. Regarding the EVIPA, she said that 17 out of 27 EU member countries have ratified the deal.

Meeting André Flahaut, member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and the group of parliamentarians sponsoring the resolution supporting Vietnamese AO victims, Mẫn thanked them as well as organisations and individuals of Belgium and international friends for supporting AO victims in Việt Nam.

On the occasion, Flahaut handed over four wheelchairs to the Vietnamese NA delegation to present to AO victims in Việt Nam. — VNS