The King and Queen of Belgium and 34 CEOs of large corporations and enterprises arrive in Hanoi

Welcoming the King, Queen and delegation at the airport were Deputy Head of the Office of the President Phan Thi Kim Oanh, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Nguyen Van Thao.

Delegates welcome Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde at Noi Bai International Airport. Photo: An Dang/VNA

Accompanying the King and Queen of Belgium are: Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs , Europe and Development Cooperation; Minister, President of the Brussels Capital Region; Minister, President of the Walloon-Brussels Community; Minister, President of the Walloon Region; Minister in charge of Brussels and the Flanders region's media; Secretary General of the Royal Office; Secretary of the Queen; Head of the Royal Protocol; Secretary General of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Europe and Development Cooperation; Belgian Ambassador to Vietnam...

At the same time, accompanying the King and Queen were 34 CEOs of leading corporations and large enterprises of Belgium and the EU in the fields of logistics services, seaports, energy conversion, climate change response, healthcare , food, etc. In addition, there were 16 leaders of leading universities and research institutes of Belgium.

This is the first state visit after more than 50 years of establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries, taking place in the context of Vietnam entering a new era.

The visit is an important historical milestone, bringing the relationship between the two countries into a new stage of development, with higher political trust and more substantial and effective cooperation.

Each year, the King and Queen of Belgium make one or two state visits, including one to an EU country and one to a non-EU country.

Therefore, this visit shows Belgium's special respect for Vietnam and its role and position in the Asia-Pacific region.

During their 5-day visit to Vietnam, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde will have a series of activities.

The King and Queen of Belgium will attend a state reception hosted by President Luong Cuong and his wife Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet. The King will hold talks and meetings with senior Vietnamese leaders.

The King and Queen also have working schedules in Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Ninh, and Hai Phong.

King Philippe visited Vietnam three times in 1994, 2008 and 2012 when he was still Crown Prince. Each trip was accompanied by a delegation of Belgian businesses seeking cooperation and investment opportunities.

Queen Mathilde has visited Vietnam three times, twice as Princess in 2003 and 2012 and once in 2023 as Honorary President of UNICEF Belgium. During her trip two years ago, the Queen went to Lao Cai to visit a school for ethnic minority children.

Speaking to the Vietnamese press ahead of the visit, Belgian Ambassador to Vietnam Karl Van Den Bossche emphasized that the Belgian Royal Family is very familiar with and respects the country and people of Vietnam.

This delegation includes nearly 150 high-ranking delegates, members of the Royal Family, officials, businesses, etc. The delegation includes 5 Ministers and Premiers of 3 main regions of Belgium, including: Flanders (Dutch speaking), Wallonia (French speaking) and Brussels (capital, bilingual). This shows the diversity of the Belgian high-ranking delegation as well as the special interest in Vietnam.

With the size of the delegation, the Belgian Ambassador hopes that the two sides will reach many important agreements and sign many cooperation documents.

Belgium was one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1973. The two countries are embarking on the next 50-year journey.

Economic, trade and investment cooperation is taking place vigorously. Belgium is Vietnam's 6th largest export market in Europe. Vietnam is Belgium's largest trading partner in ASEAN. Two-way trade turnover in 2024 will reach 4.45 billion USD.

Belgium's Antwerp - Zeebrugge port is the largest port in Europe, contributing to increasing Vietnam's import and export to the region through connectivity and trade.

As strategic partners in agriculture, the two countries cooperate in research and development of logistics, agricultural exports, cocoa industry, food safety, etc.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nha-vua-va-hoang-hau-bi-cung-34-ceo-tap-doan-doanh-nghiep-lon-den-ha-noi-2385997.html