The event was co-hosted by the Becamex IDC Corp and theprovincial People’s Committee.
In his opening speech, Vice Chairman of the provincialPeople’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Truc said as of the end of March, Binh Duong haddrawn nearly 4,000 foreign-invested projects worth nearly 37.9 billion USD,ranking third nationwide in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI)attraction, only behind Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.
The province is now home to five Belgian projects worth over39 million USD, ranking 37th out of 65 countries and territories investing inthe locality, mostly pharmaceuticals, apparel, additives, beer and malt, andgoods storage.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg Vu Anh Quangsaid amid uncertain developments caused by COVID-19 pandemic in the world, Belgiumand Vietnam continue to be important trade-investment partners of each otherbecause they serve as regional trade hubs and gateways to the European Unionand ASEAN.
The two nations’ enterprises hold the potential of deepercollaboration within the framework of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement(EVFTA) and the Vietnam – Belgium strategic partnership in agriculture, headded.
The Vietnamese Government attaches special importance to theimplementation of major FTAs such as the EVFTA, the Comprehensive andProgressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the RegionalComprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), he said, adding that FDI continuesto serve as an important resource for Vietnam’s economic growth and contributeto the implementation of the 2021-2030 socio-economic development strategy witha vision to 2045 which was adopted by the 13th National Party Congress.
Belgian delegates hailed Vietnam as a significant gatewaylinking ASEAN with the world via roads, waterway and airway. With a widespreadsystem of deep-water seaports capable of receiving big vessels, politicalstability and the Government’s business incentives, Vietnam is well-positionedto attract foreign investors.
Belgium now invests in 78 projects valued at 1.1 billion USDin Vietnam, placing 23rd out of 131 countries and territories investing in thecountry, predominantly in seaports, infrastructure, logistics, real estate,water supply and drainage, waste treatment, manufacturing and processing,electricity production and distribution, agro-forestry-fisheries, which arestrength of Binh Duong.
The European nation is also Vietnam’s fifth largest importerin the EU, behind Germany, the Netherlands, France and Italy while Vietnam isBelgium’s second largest trade partner in ASEAN, behind Singapore. Two-waytrade reached 2.83 billion EUR last year, 633 million EUR of which wasBelgium’s exports./.