Hanoi (VNA) – President Vo Van Thuong hosted a reception for visiting President of the Belgian Senate Stéphanie D'Hose in Hanoi on August 22, during which he affirmed that the State and people of Vietnam always treasure relations with  Belgium and are keen on lifting up bilateral ties to a new height.

Highlighting the significance of the Vietnam visit by Belgian Senate President, President Thuong said he believes the trip will open up a new chapter in cooperation between the parliaments of Vietnam and Belgium, and help further promote the growth of relations between the two countries in the time to come.

Vietnam is grateful for the support that Belgium has provided during the country’s past struggle for independence and present national construction and development, he said.

For her part, the Belgian Senate President briefed her host on the fruitful talks and meetings with Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and other leaders of Vietnam, and showed her impression on the nation and people of Vietnam.

Vietnamese people are among most hospitable and friendly people in the world, she said.

D’Hose said that following her visit, many Belgian delegations will visit Vietnam to promote investment partnership with the Southeast Asian nation.

She revealed that a resolution on support to Agent Orange/Dioxin (AO) victims in Vietnam is expected to be adopted by the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium. It calls on the Belgian Government to increase efforts to provide more aid to the victims and assist the Vietnamese Government in caring for them, she said.

The Belgian Senate President said she hopes the two sides will create favourable conditions for people of Vietnam and Belgium to travel between the two countries to promote people-to-people exchange and cooperation in economy and trade, and especially tourism.

Speaking highly of the outcomes of the Belgian Senate leader’s talks and meetings with Vietnamese leaders, with agenda focusing on specific cooperation areas, President Thuong said the results will help open a new chapter in partnership between the two parliaments and peoples.

Expressing his delight at the draft resolution on support to AO victims in Vietnam to be adopted by the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium, Thuong underlined that this is a good news of great humanitarian significance, and proposed that parties involved work with Vietnam to overcome AO/Dioxin consequences in the country.

In order to further foster the bilateral ties, President Thuong suggested that the two sides increase the exchange of high-level delegations, affirming that Vietnam is eager to receive Belgian delegations.

He said that the two sides should strengthen cooperation programmes and projects in the fields of education, investment, trade, climate change, digital transformation and green economy.

The two countries should also increase people-to-people exchange as well as collaboration in culture, thus strengthening mutual understanding and friendship, he said.

The State President affirmed that Vietnam has supported and will continue to create favourable conditions for citizens of the two sides in travelling to each other’s country.

He expressed his hope that the two sides will work more closely together in international issues, and asked for Belgium’s support to the stance of ASEAN and Vietnam regarding the East Sea issue, including guaranteering the safety and freedom of navigation and overflight as well as peacefully settling disputes in line with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)./.