Brussels Times hails Vietnam as sustained development partner
An article published on Belgium’s brusselstimes.com on December 12 hailed Vietnam as a sustained development partner and destination of foreign investment for the European Union (EU) in Southeast Asia.
Brussels (VNA) – An article published on Belgium’sbrusselstimes.com on December 12 hailed Vietnam as a sustained developmentpartner a🍬nd destination of foreign investment for the European Union (EU) inSoutheast Asia.
The article said the EU has been making efforts to promote digital and greentransformations not only within the union but also in developing countries andregions in Southeast Asia and Africa. Cooperation between the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is expected to somewhat repair the international supply chains problems,rebooting the globalisation process that has been declining. EU regionalpartners, such as Vietnam have great potential to promote stronger and moreeffective cooperative relations for the benefit of their respective regions andcitizens.
In its relations with the ASEAN, the EU has demonstrated itsrole as a reliable development partner, striving towards the ambitious goal ofcontributing to peace, stability, and prosperity of the two regions andglobally. In this process, Vietnam has emerged as a strong partner in addressingemerging global and regional challenges. While many countries face🍎 difficultiesand potential recession risks, Vietnam's economic growth continues to recoverpositively with GDP.
Accordingto the article, Vietnam is the onlycountry in the Asia-Pacific region and one of the four countries in the world thathas its credit rating upgraded by Moody's. With its business and investmentenvironment continuously improving, Vietnam is increasingly gaining strongertrust amongst foreign investors and in the international financial markets. Inthe first nine months of this year, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnamwas estimated at 15.4 billion USD, up 16.3% over the same period last year. The Vietnamesegovernment has particularly advocated to improve the quality and efficiency ofFDI capital to the country, prioritising environment-friendly projects withadvanced technology. This development has opened up new cooperationopportunities for EU and Vietnamese enterprises. With many similarities inpolitical wills and strategic interests, Vietnam and EU member states have thepotential to promote stronger and more effective cooperation, it added.
Global challenges,including climate change, pollution, and environmental degradation, are also ofmajor concerns to Vietnam. Energy security has become a global issue, forcingmany countries to adjust their use of fossil energy and reduce greenhouse gasemissions. Vietnam strives to become an active member of the Just EnergyTransition Partnership (JETP) framework, launched by the G-7 group by remainingcommitted to become carbon neutral by 2050, phase out coal by 2040, enddeforestation, and reduce methane emissions by 2030.
Furthermore, in October, Vietnam was elected tothe UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term. It showed Vietnam's commitmentto promoting and protecting human rig♋hts. With the new role, Vietnam will havethe opportunity to contribute to the promotion of human rights in the worldbased on c𝓰ooperation and dialogue.
About Vietnam’srelationship with the EU, the article said it is currently considered to be atits prime in history. From an aid recipient, Vietnam has now become an equaland mutually beneficial partner. Currently, Vietnam and the EU have close tieswith many cooperative frameworks, such as the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement(EVFTA), which took effect on August 1, 2020. The EU is Vietnam'sleading trading partner with the former being the third largest export marketand the fifth largest import market of Vietnam. The EU is also the fifthlargest foreign investor in Vietnam with a total registered capital of 27.6billion USD by August 2022, it said./.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s trip to attend an ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit and visit Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Belgium from December 9 to 15 is expected to promote and lift the Vietnam-EU cooperation to a new height, said Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg Nguyen Van Thao.
Vietnam and the European Union (EU) should work together to accelerate the transition towards “a carbon-neutral, resource-efficient and circular economy” to tackle climate change, the European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries has said.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jiri Kozak on December 12 affirmed that the country supports efforts to strengthen ties between Vietnam and the EU.
The European Union (EU) considers Vietnam one of its most important partners in the Indo-Pacific region, said Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Vice-President of the European Commission (EC).
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925–2025), Nikulina, who is also a veteran journalist of Russia’s Sputnik News, emphasised the vital role of mainstream journalism in defending the truth and maintaining public trust.
The Ministry of Commerce reported that imports also rose 18% to 29.9 billion USD during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.1 billion USD. In May alone, Thailand posted a 4.6 billion USD trade surplus with the US and a 4.1 billion USD trade deficit with China.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
Member states also reviewed progress on six priority areas for 2025, including the development of an underground cable framework, the follow-up agreement to the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), the launch of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency Database, and the rollout of an investment platform for sustainable building initiatives.
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) 
