Belgium’s Flanders and Wallonia ready to expand cooperation with Vietnam

Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele and Walloon Minister-President Adrien Dolimont conveyed their readiness to strengthen ties with Vietnam during separate meetings with Vietnamese Party General Secretary and State President To Lam on Friday as part of his official visit to Belgium, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

The Vietnamese leader welcomed both regions’ willingness to deepen cooperation and urged them to support efforts to elevate Vietnam-Belgium relations to a higher level.

Flanders seeks stronger ties in ports, logistics and technology

At his meeting with Diependaele, the Vietnamese leader praised Flanders as one of Belgium’s and Europe’s leading economic, industrial, trade, logistics and innovation hubs, and recognized the region’s contributions to Vietnam-Belgium cooperation in trade, investment and seaports.

He also praised the work of Flemish businesses operating in Vietnam, including DEEP C, Bekaert and Puratos, as well as the role of Flanders Investment and Trade (FIT) in connecting businesses from both sides.

The Vietnamese leader said Vietnam’s administrative restructuring, expanding development opportunities and greater decentralization and delegation of authority were creating favorable conditions for localities to expand international cooperation, including with Belgian regions.

He urged Flanders to take a pioneering role in promoting economic ties and encouraging businesses to invest more in Vietnam, while continuing to support the ratification and effective implementation of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement.

He called for stronger links between the two sides’ port ecosystems and cooperation in developing green and smart ports and modern logistics chains.

He also proposed expanding cooperation in science, technology and innovation, particularly in strategic fields such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI) and green technology.

Drawing on Flanders’ strengths, he called for the region to provide technology and resources to help Vietnam improve water resource management and respond to climate change, floods, droughts and saltwater intrusion, particularly in the Mekong Delta.

He also proposed closer cooperation in education and training to develop highly skilled workers in fields where Vietnam has urgent needs.

The previous day, the Vietnamese leader and his delegation visited the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Europe’s second-largest port.

During the visit, Vietnam Maritime Corporation and the port signed a comprehensive cooperation framework agreement to promote collaboration in maritime transport, seaports and logistics, while strengthening trade links between Vietnam, Belgium and Europe.

Diependaele said the Flemish government regarded Vietnam as one of its leading partners in Southeast Asia.

He welcomed the Vietnamese leader’s proposals and pledged to expand cooperation in areas where Flanders has strengths, including seaports, logistics, high-tech industry and the green transition.

He also committed to strengthening ties between businesses, research centers, educational institutions and local authorities on both sides.

The two sides also pledged to carry out concrete cooperation projects in seaports, logistics, science and technology, and sustainable development.

Wallonia seeks closer cooperation in life sciences, biotechnology and healthcare

At his meeting with Dolimont, the Vietnamese leader praised Wallonia as one of Belgium’s oldest industrial centers and a leading hub for science, technology and innovation, with strengths in life sciences, healthcare, aerospace, precision engineering and green technology.

He highlighted more than three decades of cooperation between Wallonia and Vietnam, including programs in education and training, scientific research and culture, particularly a heritage preservation project in Hue.

Looking ahead, he proposed making science and technology, healthcare and life sciences new priorities for cooperation, while expanding links between universities and research institutes and promoting student exchanges.

He encouraged Wallonia-based businesses to increase investment and technology transfer in high-tech industries and energy, while promoting the green transition.

He also called for Wallonia to share its expertise and technology in sustainable agriculture, the circular economy, water treatment and climate change response, particularly in the Mekong Delta.

Dolimont welcomed the proposals and said Wallonia was ready to expand cooperation in higher-value-added fields such as biotechnology, life sciences, green industry and innovation, in line with Vietnam’s development priorities and with a view to building long-term partnerships.

The Vietnamese leader also witnessed the exchange of a memorandum of understanding on agriculture, natural resource management and environmental protection between Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Walloon government.