In Hanoi, Vietnam and the Netherlands convened their second political consultation at the deputy minister level, signaling a robust commitment to enhancing collaboration across numerous sectors. The session was jointly led by Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Lê Thị Thu Hằng and her Dutch counterpart Marcel de Vink. Both nations took the opportunity to evaluate their bilateral relations, celebrating the steady advancement in diplomatic exchanges, economic partnerships, and their cooperative roles in regional and international platforms.
Vietnam outlined its ambitious long-term goals, aiming to become an upper-middle-income country by the year 2030 and further advancing to a developed, high-income status by 2045. Central to these objectives are the pillars of science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation, which Vietnam views as essential engines for sustainable economic growth. To this end, Vietnam advocated for a more profound implementation of the Comprehensive Partnership and strategic cooperation frameworks already in place between the two countries.
The discussions underscored Vietnam’s call for enhanced collaboration in various domains, including trade, investment, sustainable agriculture, climate change adaptation, green transition, digital transformation, and innovation. Furthermore, Vietnam sought the Netherlands’ assistance in advocating for the ratification of the EU–Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement and the lifting of trade restrictions on seafood exports.
The Netherlands reiterated its dedication to strengthening its ties with Vietnam, highlighting Vietnam’s role as a significant and trustworthy ally in the Asia-Pacific region. Dutch officials expressed eagerness to send larger business delegations to Vietnam, aiming to broaden cooperation in sectors such as high-technology industries, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, scientific research, and workforce development. The dialogue also touched upon enhancing collaboration in security, defense, justice, culture, tourism, and fostering people-to-people exchanges, while promoting stronger connections between local governments and businesses.
Addressing regional and global concerns, both countries reinforced their support for multilateralism, free trade, and the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law. They stressed the significance of maintaining peace, stability, and freedom of navigation and overflight, particularly under the framework of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.