Brussels (VNA) – National Assembly ChairwomanNguyen Thi Kim Ngan met President of the Chamber of Representatives of BelgiumSiegfried Bracke in the capital city of Brussels on April 3 after arriving there.

President Bracke said it is time to sign cooperationagreements in diverse areas, especially in agriculture.

He suggested that both countries should work closelytogether in education, particularly at the tertiary level, adding that creativityis crucial to achieving a win-win cooperation.

NA Chairwoman Ngan, for her part, said ties between Belgiumand Vietnam are growing in a wide range of areas, adding her visit aims to pushthe development of bilateral ties in a more practical way. She also expressedher hope that both sides would consider a new cooperation agreement in the nearfuture.

Informing her host of Vietnam’s current situations, Ngansaid the country grew 7.08 percent last year. The country has integrated moredeeply into the world economy with its participation in 12 free tradeagreements (FTAs), she noted, adding that Vietnam is about to sign and ratifyanother four FTAs.

Ngan said many foreign investors select Vietnam as theirinvestment destination for its favourable business climate, stablesocio-economic environment, and good economic growth.

The top legislator stressed Vietnam highly values itscooperation with Belgium and considers the country an important partner inEurope. Recently, the two nations have recorded successful cooperation invarious areas, with bilateral trade hitting 2.8 billion USD last year.

Vietnam is striving to intensify collaboration with Belgiumin all fields, particularly in renewable energies like solar and wind power,Ngan said.

The country also wants to step up bilateral ties in sea portinfrastructure, public health, agriculture, and education and training.Currently, Belgium offers 40 scholarships to Vietnam on an annual basis, andsupports the country via a host of educational projects and cooperationprogrammes with Vietnamese universities and research institutes. 

At the meeting, the leaders also discussed the EU-VietnamFree Trade Agreement.

Ngan showed her hope that the Belgian Federal Parliamentwill raise it voice to foster the European Parliament (EP)’s ratification ofthe agreement, as the ratification will bring about practical benefits toVietnam, Belgium and the EU.

Acknowledging Ngan’s proposals, Bracke said that both sidesrealised the importance of the EVFTA in economic development of all parties.

He added that involved parties will consider the completionof all procedures to ratify the agreement at the beginning of the next tenureof the EP.

The Belgian side will do its utmost to speed up the process,he affirmed.-VNA