Vietnam - Belgium : relations at a glance
Vietnam and Belgium pledged to
boost this year's bilateral trade to
US$460 million when Belgian
Trade Minister Annemie Neyts
Uytteebroeck met with her then
Vietnamese counterpart Vu
Khoan (now deputy prime
minister) in a May visit. Last year,
two-way trade hit US$413,8
million, a 5% increase over 2000.
Khoan and Uytteebroeck
agreed that both sides should gear their efforts towards products with
the greatest potential. Belgium can help Vietnam with technical
assistance in improving the quality of Vietnamese seafood-one of
Vietnam's key exports to the EU. Vietnam also seeks Belgian support
for its endeavor to gain the World Trade Organization (WTO)
membership.
Main Vietnamese exports to Belgium include footwear, textiles and
garments, leather, minerals, seafood, and handicrafts. Meanwhile, the
country imports machinery, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, jewelry and
transport means from Belgium.
Up to late August, Belgian investors have pledged 20 projects
capitalized at almost US$55 million in Vietnam, mainly in jewel
production, energy and infrastructure.
Belgian mission boosts ties with HCM City
A mission of government officials and journalists from Belgium's
Walloon region paid a four-day visit to HCM City early this week to
evaluate cooperation programs and explore further cooperation
opportunities, especially in urban management.
The 17-member mission led by Jean Claude Van Cauwenberghe,
Minister-president of the Walloon government, was received by senior
officials of HCM City, including HCM City People's Committee Chairman
Le Thanh Hai and Director of the HCM City Foreign Affairs Office Le
Quoc Hung. The city officials told the guests that the city was seeking
measures to cope with traffic problems and asking for more assistance
from Walloon.
Walloon is one of HCM City's partner cities in Europe and has helped
the city in urban management. The Walloon mission visited the city's
medical waste treatment center in District 12 and Saigon Software
Development Company. It also participated in the Asia-urbs, a seminar
on regional urban development which is part of the Asia-Europe
program to support the local government in urban development.
The Saigon Times Weekly - November 02, 2002.
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