Vietnam wishes to boost two-way trade with Belgium and offer possible supports to Belgian investors in Vietnam, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has said. The Prime Minister made the statement while receiving Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Johan Vande Lanotte in Hanoi on Monday. He also said Vietnam is keen to accelerate political and diplomatic ties with Belgium as a foundation for bilateral economic-trade-investment cooperation. Belgium is now Vietnam’s sixth largest trade partner in Europe, with two-way trade totaling US$1.8 billion last year.

The year 2014 is a key milestone in Vietnam - Belgium relations as it marks the 40th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties, PM Dung said.

He expressed his hope that Belgium will continue to grant  official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam and said the Vietnamese Government has been working to better manage and effectively use ODA sources.

The Government leader also suggested that the Belgian side recognize Vietnam as a market economy soon and accelerate negotiations on the Vietnam-European Union (EU) free trade agreement. For his part, Lanotte is ready to provide Vietnam with a springboard for European markets and foster joint work in high technology, cosmology, satellites and ODA. He also said Belgian investors are keen to expand investment in Vietnam, especially in Dinh Vu industrial park in the northern port city of Hai Phong. Before his talk with Prime Minister Dung, the Belgian official and Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai witnessed the signing of the bidding contract No. 1, part of the VN Red Sat 1B satellite project.