Hanoi (VNA) – President Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted receptions in Hanoi on July 12 for outgoing ambassadors of the Netherlands and Switzerland to Vietnam.

Receiving Dutch Ambassador Elsbeth Akkermann, Phuc hailed her important contributions to strengthening the bilateral Comprehensive Partnership. The Netherlands is a leading trade partner and the biggest EU investor in Vietnam.

He took the occasion to thank the Netherlands for providing 1 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and medical equipment and supplies worth 43 billion VND (1.83 million USD) to help his country drive back the pandemic.

Ambassador Akkermann said that there remains room for the two countries’ trade cooperation, especially with the Vietnamese economy is developing rapidly.

Vietnam is attractive to Dutch investors because its people are very friendly and have aspirations of sustainable socio-economic development in the country, she stressed.

She pledged to exert efforts, in any positions, to promote bilateral cooperation in various fields.

As the two countries will mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2023, President Phuc requested Dutch agencies and the Dutch Embassy to closely coordinate with Vietnamese partners to implement commemorative activities.

Regarding the East Sea issue, he expressed his hope that the Netherlands and EU countries will continue to strongly support the stances of ASEAN and Vietnam on maintaining peace, stability and ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight in the waters, as well as the peaceful settlement of disputes on the basis of the rule of law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Welcoming Swiss Ambassador Ivo Sieber, President Phuc affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to its collaboration with Switzerland, and remembers the country’s valuable support for its past struggle for national liberation and current nation building and development cause.

He thanked the ambassador for coordination to successfully organise his official visit to Switzerland in November 2021, and appreciated the diplomat for connecting many Swiss businesses to invest in Vietnam.

Ambassador Sieber said he wishes more Swiss businesses to invest in Vietnam, and for more Vietnamese products to be sold in the Swiss market.

He committed to maintaining efforts to boost bilateral relations, especially in economics and trade.

President Phuc proposed Switzerland speed up the completion of negotiations on a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) to open new opportunities for investment and businesses in Vietnam, particularly in finance-banking, insurance, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, farm produce processing, and tourism.

He thanked Switzerland for providing ODA worth 600 million USD for Vietnam in the 1991-2021 period, saying that he hopes to continue receiving ODA in training, urban and rural development, and poverty reduction./.