Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held phone talks with his Belgian counterpart AlexanderDe Croo on August 25 night.

The two PMs shared delight at the development of the traditionalfriendship between Vietnam and Belgium over the past 50 years, with theformation of a strategic partnership in agriculture in 2018.

They held that the two countries are boasting greatopportunities and prospects to step up cooperation and bring their partnership to a new height in a more practical andeffective orientations.

PM Chinh affirmed that Vietnam always supports and createsoptimal conditions for foreign investors, including those from Belgium, to do business and cooperate for along-term in Vietnam.

He proposed Belgium create favourable conditions forVietnamese farm produce to enter the Belgian and EU markets, while urgingthe European Commission to soon remove the “yellow card” on Vietnamese seafood, thusbenefiting both Vietnamese exporters and consumers in Belgium and the EU.

The Vietnamese leader thanked Belgium forsupporting Vietnam over the past time and suggested the European country help speed upthe COVAX Facility’s distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to Vietnam as soon as possible; donate or transfer COVID-19 vaccines to; cooperatewith Vietnam in COVID-19 vaccine production technology transfer; and provide medicine andmedical equipment to help the Southeast Asian nation push back the pandemic.

For his part, PM De Croo agreed with PM Chinh's views on global and equal access to and mutual support in vaccine issues,and pledged to direct its relevant agencies to satisfy the Vietnamese side's proposals invaccine issues.

The two PMs concurred to continue to create more optimal conditions for the Vietnamese communityin Belgium and Belgian citizens in Vietnam, thus promoting the bilateralrelationship.

PM Chinh affirmed that Vietnam always respects, protects and ensures human rights and citizen rights, considering people as the core, the goal and themotivation for development.

Both Vietnamese and Belgian leaders stressed the need tocontinue strengthen collaboration and mutual support at multilateral forums andinternational organisations, especially the UN, ASEM, Francophone,and ASEAN-EU partnership.

Regarding the East Sea issue, they underlined thesignificance of maintaining peace, stability, security,safety and freedom of navigation and aviation, and the settlement of disputes through peaceful measures inline with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Lawof the Sea (UNCLOS) as well as the full and effective implementation of theDeclaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), towards to thefinalisation of a practical and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

PM Chinh invited PM De Croo to visit Vietnam in the near future. PM De Croo accepted the invitation with pleasure and expressed his wish to welcome theVietnamese leader to Belgium soon./.