Brussels (VNA) – Belgian businesses got insights into investment opportunitiesin Vietnam when they attended a seminar in Belgium’s Antwerp province on August28.
The seminar took place ahead of a Vietnam visit in November by a delegation of Antwerp’sstartups and firms operating in such spheres as diamond business, fashion,pharmaceuticals, telecommunications and construction in November.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Vu Anh Quang said Vietnam is an open marketeconomy with total trade value reaching 482 billion USD and combined foreigndirect investment hitting 35 billion USD in 2018. The country welcomed about 16million foreign tourists in the year.
He described the upcoming visit by Antwerp’s enterprises as an importanthighlight within the new framework of the bilateral ties that is theVietnam-Belgium strategic partnership in agriculture and the EU-Vietnam freetrade and investment agreements.
The ambassador suggested the two sides enhance cooperation in trade andinvestment as the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) was signed, furtherexplaining that the deal is expected to open up great opportunities for tradeand investment ties between Vietnam and the EU once it is ratified by theEuropean Parliament.
Speaking highly of cooperation between Vietnam and Belgium, and Antwerp inparticular, Quang said the Port of Antwerp – the second largest port in the EU– is an important gateway for Vietnamese goods to access Belgium and the EU aswell.
With a coastline of about 3,260km, Vietnam wishes to step up cooperation inseaport logistics and infrastructure, he said.
Antwerp’s Governor Cathy Berx, who will lead the Belgian delegation to Vietnamin November, told the Vietnam News Agency that the Southeast Asian nation has alot of business opportunities.
She lauded the country’s business environment, saying it is time to come toVietnam to explore all opportunities in the country.
Businesses should focus on cooperation in sustainable development, especiallyrenewable energy, she said, suggesting Antwerp’s companies to find suitablecooperation and operation methods to persuade Vietnamese firms to partner withthem.-VNA
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Illustrative image (Source: BBJ) 
