Brussels (VNA) – Belgium’s lower house ofparliament backs expanding cooperation with Vietnam at all levels, said Presidentof the Chamber of Representatives Siegfried Bracke when meeting with PrimeMinister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Brussels on October 17.

At the meeting, both Phuc and Bracke expressed theirdelight at the development of the Vietnam – Belgium relations over the 45 yearsof their ties.

The Vietnamese Prime Minister thanked the Belgian Chamberof Representatives for its support in deepening the two countries’ relations,saying the partnership between the two parliaments has played a vital role in enhancingbilateral ties.

Bracke hailed Phuc’s visit as significant to fosteringrelations and lauded the Vietnamese community in Belgium and theircontributions to the ties. He welcomed strengthened collaboration between thetwo nations in agriculture as it suits both countries’ needs.

Both sides agreed Vietnam and Belgium should work to fulfiltheir cooperation potential, especially in education, science-technology,maritime transport and clean energy.

Bracke also voiced his support for the early signing ofthe EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), saying it will benefit all partiesas it creates an engine to bolster cooperation between Vietnam and EU countriesin economics and trade.

The two sides also agreed that all concerned nations mustwork to maintain peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation and aviationin the East Sea and settle disputes via peaceful means in respect ofinternational law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc is on the final leg ofhis visit to Belgium from October 16 – 18, being made at the invitation of hisBelgian counterpart Charles Michel.

On the occasion of the visit, the two side issued a jointstatement, stressing the importance of promoting trade and investment betweenVietnam and Belgium and expressed their hope that the EVFTA will soon be signedand ratified.

They agreed to step up bilateral ties in diplomacy,economics, social affairs, trade, education and science and to maintain regularexchanges.

Belgium was among the first Western countries to set updiplomatic relations with Vietnam, following the signing of the Paris PeaceAccords, in 1973.

Belgium is now Vietnam’s seventh largest trade partner inthe EU, with two-way trade reaching 2.7 billion USD last year. As of August2018, Belgium’s investment in the country was valued at 900 million USD. –VNA