Working together to make Vietnam and the Netherlands "green dragons"

Assessing Vietnam as the land of "rising dragons" and the land of opportunities, Prime Minister Mark Rutte called on the two countries to cooperate together, seize all new opportunities to become "green dragons" together.

Thủ tướng Mark Rutte: Cùng hợp tác để Việt Nam và Hà Lan trở thành rồng xanh

Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attend the Green Economy Forum 2023.

On the afternoon of November 2, within the framework of the official visit to Vietnam, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the Green Economy Forum 2023 with the theme "Europe-Vietnam cooperation promotes green initiatives".

The Forum was organized by the European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham). Attending the Forum were Executive Vice President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis, Chairman of EuroCham Gabor Fluit, leaders of Vietnamese ministries and sectors, ambassadors, associations and businesses of the EU and Vietnam.

At the Forum, EU and EuroCham leaders highly appreciated Vietnam's development achievements and great potential, especially in new areas such as green economy, circular economy, and high technology.

According to delegates, the world is changing unpredictably, geopolitical conflicts are fierce, the crisis caused by climate change and depletion of natural resources are posing many challenges, but at the same time opening up new opportunities for socio-economic development of each country. In that context, green and sustainable economic development is the key and mandatory direction for countries around the world.

Over the past time, the EU has played a pioneering role in promoting the building of a green and circular global economy, contributing to turning current challenges into opportunities for development, with important strategies and initiatives, concrete steps in areas such as infrastructure development, green hydrogen energy, digital connectivity and mobilizing green finance for development.

Comments also highly appreciated Vietnam's commitment, efforts and solutions to cooperate with EU partners in promoting green energy transition, developing renewable energy and green hydrogen, such as signing the Political Declaration to establish a Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) with the G7 group and international partners, including the EU.

Vietnam - land of opportunities

Prime Minister Mark Rutte stated that green growth is the future, we share great ambitions and together we turn aspirations into reality.

Speaking at the Forum, Prime Minister Mark Rutte emphasized that 2023 is a special year as the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations. The relationship between the two countries began more than 400 years ago, when the Netherlands was a maritime and commercial power and the first Dutch ship docked at Hoi An port.

Vietnam-Netherlands cooperation is growing and currently the Netherlands is the EU's largest investor in Vietnam, over 60% of Vietnam's goods exported to Europe go through the port of Rotterdam.

“Vietnam has had a miraculous economic growth that very few people could have imagined. You have turned what seemed like a miracle into reality,” said the Dutch Prime Minister.

However, Mr. Mark Rutte also said that both countries realize that in reality, unsustainable economic growth will cause unpredictable harm and all are facing environmental challenges.

“We need to join hands and we need contributions from everyone, from the government, social organizations, to experts, financial institutions and above all, the contribution of the business community,” the Dutch Prime Minister emphasized.

Governments enact and enforce climate regulations, but it is businesses that determine the success of those policies. Because the combination of policies, along with innovation and knowledge innovation will help find and apply the necessary solutions to bring about good results from the implementation of those policies.

The participation of dozens of Dutch businesses in the Green Economy Forum and Exhibition 2022 in Ho Chi Minh City, according to Prime Minister Mark Rutte, demonstrates the interest of Dutch businesses and the private sector in addressing global challenges in cooperation with international partners.

The EU is currently implementing new regulations under the Green Deal, which Prime Minister Mark Rutte said would boost production and benefit sustainable producers, including suppliers exporting goods to the EU market. “Businesses and investors should prepare to ‘welcome’ these regulations,” the Dutch Prime Minister said.

Mr. Mark Rutte also added that these regulations apply not only to Vietnamese manufacturers but also to European and Dutch investors doing business in Vietnam.

“If we work together, we will become stronger. The Dutch Business Association in Vietnam supports Vietnamese enterprises to meet the requirements of the European market, within the framework of the export readiness program. I hope that enterprises will meet and comply with these new regulations,” said the head of the Dutch government.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte stated that green growth is the future, and both sides share great ambitions and together turn aspirations into reality.

“Vietnam is truly worthy of its name, the land of the ‘rising dragon’ and Vietnam is the land of opportunities, you bring a lot of potential. And let us cooperate so that Vietnam and the Netherlands can become ‘green dragons’, take advantage of and seize all the new opportunities that are before us,” Prime Minister Mark Rutte emphasized.

Share, help each other to win together

"Developing a green economy, digital economy, circular economy, sharing economy, and knowledge economy is a trend, movement, and strategic choice, a top priority of Vietnam," Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized.

At the Forum, recalling the goals and ambitions that the two sides have set in the past, especially after the Green Economy Forum and Exhibition in 2022, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said, "We still have a lot of work to do in the coming time."

Agreeing with Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that Vietnam is ASEAN's most important partner for Europe. Two-way trade in 2022 will reach 63 billion USD, Europe is Vietnam's 4th largest trading partner after China, the United States and South Korea. The Netherlands is Europe's second largest trading partner and largest investor in Vietnam.

According to the head of the Vietnamese Government, on the basis of good political and diplomatic relations, economic, trade and investment relations also develop.

Sharing about Vietnam's business investment environment, the Prime Minister said that, first of all , Vietnam ensures political stability and social order and safety so that investors coming to Vietnam and carrying out issues related to trade and economy can be stable and develop long-term.

Second , Vietnam has implemented three strategic breakthroughs, including institutional, infrastructure and human resource breakthroughs, to help reduce input costs for products of investors, including European investors, thereby helping to create a better competitive environment.

Third , Vietnam promotes innovation and startups, helping to create a broad innovation ecosystem and, on that basis, supporting investors to invest more conveniently and actively.

Fourth , Vietnam always protects the legitimate and legal interests of investors and businesses in any circumstances so that you can feel secure in investing in the spirit of harmonious benefits and shared risks.

Fifth , develop rapidly but sustainably, without sacrificing social progress, social security, and the environment to pursue mere growth.

Vietnam must produce green, export green and ensure green energy sources for investors to develop sustainably. The head of the Vietnamese Government believes that developing a green economy and a digital economy are two parallel sides of the same process. If we want to develop a green economy, we must develop a digital economy and vice versa.

“Developing a green economy, digital economy, circular economy, sharing economy, and knowledge economy is a trend, movement, strategic choice, and top priority of Vietnam,” Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized.

Vietnam needs Europe's support in implementing green development solutions.

However, as a developing country in transition and facing difficulties, the Prime Minister expressed that Vietnam needs Europe's support in implementing green development solutions. "We need sharing and assistance so that we can win together," the Prime Minister pointed out.

The head of the Vietnamese Government also expressed his wish that the Netherlands would help Vietnam in building appropriate institutions and policies, sharing benefits and risks, transferring technology to Vietnam, investing in financial support combined with public-private partnership, capital, scientific management, and human resource training.

In addition, the Prime Minister also asked the Netherlands to support the EC in soon removing the IUU "yellow card" on Vietnam's seafood exports and soon ratifying the Vietnam - EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

Sharing about the Mekong Delta issue, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that this region is currently facing problems related to subsidence, landslides, drought, saltwater intrusion and rising sea levels, affecting the livelihoods of 22 million people living here.

This region also accounts for 90% of Vietnam's rice export output, helping to ensure food security for Vietnam as well as the world. At the same time, this region also accounts for 60% of agricultural and aquatic products exported to other countries, including European countries. "We hope that the Netherlands will increase investment in this region," the Prime Minister emphasized.

The Prime Minister also added that Vietnam is currently focusing on developing the infrastructure of the Mekong Delta towards green and sustainable development. Along with that, the Vietnamese Government is also paying attention to and implementing strong and synchronous forest restoration measures, contributing to the development of hydropower projects and contributing to green and sustainable development of humanity.

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