BRUSSELS — National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân met President of the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium Siegfried Bracke in Brussels yesterday.
President Bracke said it was time to sign co-operation agreements in diverse areas, especially agriculture.
He suggested that both countries should work closely together in education, particularly at the tertiary level, adding that creativity was crucial to achieving win-win co-operation.
Ngân said ties between Belgium and Việt Nam were growing in a wide range of areas, adding her visit aimed to push the development of bilateral ties. She also expressed her hope that both sides would consider a new co-operation agreement in the near future.
The top legislator stressed Việt Nam highly valued its co-operation with Belgium and considered the country an important partner in Europe. Recently, the two nations had recorded successful co-operation in various areas, with bilateral trade hitting US$2.8 billion last year.
Việt Nam was striving to intensify collaboration with Belgium in all fields, particularly in renewable energies like solar and wind power, Ngân said.
The country also wanted to step up bilateral ties in sea port infrastructure, public health, agriculture and education and training. Currently, Belgium offers 40 scholarships to Việt Nam on an annual basis, and supports the country via a host of educational projects and co-operation programmes with Vietnamese universities and research institutes. 
At the meeting, the leaders also discussed the EU- Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement.
Ngân expressed her hope that the Belgian Federal Parliament would support the European Parliament’s ratification of the agreement to bring practical benefits to Việt Nam, Belgium and the EU.
Acknowledging Ngân’s proposals, Bracke said that both sides realised the importance of the EVFTA.
The Belgian side would do its utmost to speed up the process, he affirmed. — VNS