Brusels (VNA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs BuiThanh Son is in Brussels for the 24th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) and the third EU-Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum (EU-IPMF)as well as a visit to Belgium from January 30 to February 3.

Vietnamese Ambassdor to Belgium and head of theVietnam Mission to the EU Nguyen Van Thao said that the EU-IPMF gathers nearly70 delegations from EU member countries and more than 40 countries in theIndo-Pacific region, as well as representatives from a number of internationalorganisations.

The initiative was proposed by the EU in 2022, serving as animportant mechanism for the EU and the Indo-Pacific region to share theirevaluations on new developments and trends of the world, reviewing achievementsand sketching out new cooperation orientations and prospects to connect the tworegions, thus strengthening solidarity and coordination in dealing with common issuesof the globe, said Thao.

He said that at the forum, the Vietnamese FM will deliver aspeech on green transition, which is one of the promising and prioritised areain the Vietnam-EU partnership, as well as the inevitable trend of the worldeconomy, and the development direction of Vietnam.

Vietnam, one of the countries that are hardest hit by climate change andenvironmental pollution, is in need of strong cooperation from the internationalcommunity, including the EU, to mitigate climate change, enhance adaptationcapacity and promote sustainable development, the diplomat underlined,stressing that this is an area of the EU’s strength. The EU has also showninterest in promoting strong collaboration with Vietnam to build a model new-style cooperation between the EU and the Indo-Pacific region in this important field,he added.

Meanwhile, the 24th AEMM, which is the first oneheld in-person after five years due to COVID-19 pandemic, is the continuation andpromotion of important results achieved in the recent high-level events, aimingto lift up ASEAN-EU relationship to a new height, making it more substaintial,effective and strategic.

Regarding the Vietnam-Belgium relations, Thao underscoredthat the ties have seen breakthrough growth over the years, especially afterPrime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to the European country in December 2022. Thetwo sides have maintained regular high-level visits, he noted, adding that thisyear, the Belgian King will choose Vietnam for his only official visit outsidethe EU this year.

Together with the visits, bustling activities to promote economicconnectivity and bolster bilateral trade and investment cooperation over theyears have laid a firm foundation for the two sides to optimise theircooperation potential, the diplomat said.

He noted that Belgium is currently a strategic partner ofVietnam in agriculture, and a promising partner in many other fields such asinfrastructure development, seaport, hydrogen, health care andpharmacieuticals.

Belgium is playing the role of European Council President in the first half of 2024, enablingthe country to help Vietnam to promote ties with the EU, said Ambassador Thao.

In order to boost partnership between Vietnam and the EU,the diplomat proposed that Vietnam need to make comprehensive and systematic strategiesto promote bilateral trade and investment ties in the future, with the identification of prioritised cooperation areas and potential partners, whileincreasing in-depth trade and investment promotion activities in the EU todeepen mutual understanding and connect businesses of the two sides, andkeeping close contact to maintain collaboration momentum, held the diplomat./.