Deputy Minister of National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Hoàng Xuân Chiến receives André Flahaut, visiting member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and Minister of State on Monday. – VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – Deputy Minister of National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Hoàng Xuân Chiến hosted a reception in Hà Nội on Monday for André Flahaut, visiting member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and Minister of State.

Chiến hailed the Belgian Chamber of Representatives as the first legislature in the world to pass a resolution in support of Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims in Việt Nam in October 2023, helping draw attention and support from the international community to the effort.

He highlighted outcomes of cooperation between Việt Nam and Belgium in dioxin remediation in the Southeast Asian nation, notably the application of Belgium’s technology in this field at Biên Hòa airport, and the delivery of wheelchairs to Vietnamese AO/dioxin victims.

Progress has been made in the bilateral defence ties, he said, elaborating that the two sides signed a framework agreement on collaboration in this sphere, exchanged many delegations, especially those at the high level, and cooperated in personnel training and military medicine.

The Deputy Minister expressed his hope for further collaboration in delegation exchange, training, peace-keeping, military medicine, and the settlement of war consequences.

For his part, Flahaut said the two countries boast potential to enhance cooperation across realms, noting his hope that cooperation with defence will grow further in the time ahead, contributing to boosting the Việt Nam-Belgium relationship. – VNS