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Feb 07, 2018 / 12:00

Vietnam – Netherlands reaffirmed economic relations

The Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Ms. Sigrid Kaag visited Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from 6-7 February 2018.

Vietnam was selected as the destination for her first trade mission since her appointment as Minister, which shows the importance the Government of the Netherlands places on its relations with Vietnam.
 
The Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Ms. Sigrid Kaag in
The Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Sigrid Kaag (L) and Vietnamese Vice Minister of Transportation Nguyen Van Cong.
Minister Kaag and Vice-Minister Bui Thanh Son launched the celebrations of the 45 years diplomatic relations and unveiled the logo for this occasion, at a Holland Trade Reception on Tuesday.
The Minister brought with her a large group of Dutch companies (45 companies of different sectors) to Vietnam. The delegation was most interested in cooperation opportunities in water management, agriculture, maritime, aviation, logistics, smart cities, and energy. Various meetings took place within just two days, both at governmental level and working level.
Especially the matchmaking sessions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City brought both new contacts, and new contracts. Minister Kaag was also able to see the challenges of Vietnam on water management first-hand during a boat trip on the Saigon River – and could immediately link Dutch companies and knowledge institutions with relevant innovative solutions to the Vietnamese counterparts.
Sharing her thoughts on the events, Minister Sigrid Kaag stated: “As we expand our trading and investment ties with Vietnam in various sectors, the Government of the Netherlands gives priority to promoting sustainability and inclusiveness. I’m pleased to note the strong contribution that Dutch companies can make in this area.”
Numerous deals and agreement were made during a short period of two days, enhancing economic ties between the two countries. Having shared the vision of a sustainable future where both the economy and the environment can thrive, the Netherlands and Vietnam will continue working closely to deepen our relations and look forward to many other milestones in our partnership.
Vietnam and the Netherlands established diplomatic relations in 1973, followed by four decades of tireless efforts to strengthen the relationship as development partners. The Dutch government supported Vietnam with issues such as water management, women economic empowerment, sanitation, health care, labor conditions in the garment sector, and nature preservation. When Vietnam reached its middle-income country status in 2010, our relations entered a new phase of deeper equal economic cooperation.
With the two Strategic Partnership Agreements on agriculture and on water & climate change, the two countries continue to work alongside towards sustainability. The Netherlands is now not only the second biggest European Union (EU) trading partner, but also the number one EU investor in Vietnam with more than US$8 billion of registered investment.