Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and the Netherlands have issued a jointstatement on the official visit to Vietnam by Dutch Prime MinisterMark Rutte on April 9 at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
The following is the full text of the Joint Statement.
At the invitation of H.E Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of the SocialistRepublic of Vietnam, H.E. Mr. Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands,paid an official visit to Vietnam on 9 April 2019. During the visit, PrimeMinister Mark Rutte held official talks with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc,met with General Secretary, State President Nguyen Phu Trong and President ofthe National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.
The official talks were held in an atmosphere of friendship, mutual trust andunderstanding. During the talks, the two leaders updated each other ofdevelopments in their respective countries, discussed ways and means to furtheradvance the bilateral relations, and exchanged views on international andregional issues of mutual interests and concerns.
Both sides expressed satisfaction over the successive steps forward in thebilateral cooperation in a wide range of areas from politics, diplomacy,economy, development cooperation, transport, logistics, agriculture, climatechange adaptation, management and use of natural resources to education andtraining, and cultural exchange. Acknowledging the significance of thebilateral cooperation to both Vietnam and the Netherlands, both sides decidedto upgrade their relationship to a comprehensive partnership, with a view toeffectively harnessing their cooperation potentials, enabling the bilateralties to expand and deepen with greater dynamism in all dimensions in the yearsto come.
Both sides recognised the importance of the high-level mutual visits, includingPrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s official visit to the Netherlands in 2017 andthis official visit to Vietnam by Prime Minister Mark Rutte, as well as regularexchanges between their ministries, agencies and localities to the promotion ofthe bilateral relations. The two Prime Ministers agreed to hold further highlevel meetings under bilateral and multilateral frameworks, while enhancing theeffectiveness of their various mechanisms of sectoral cooperation.
Both sides welcomed the Agreement on Customs Cooperation and other agreementsconcluded as well as the results reached at the Vietnam - Netherlands BusinessRound Table held in Hanoi on the sidelines of the visit. They also welcomed thesuccessful conclusion of the negotiations on the Agreement on the Gainfulemployment of family members of members of a diplomatic mission and/or consularpost, which will be signed soon after the visit.
Both sides emphasised their shared commitment to inclusive and sustainabledevelopment as reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda.Both sides reaffirm that this shared commitment towards inclusive, sustainabledevelopment is the main pillar of the Comprehensive Vietnam - NetherlandsPartnership and welcome the contribution of responsible businesses, knowledgeinstitutes, associations and NGO’s and the people of the two countries to theachievement of the SDGs.
Both sides reaffirmed that the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and InvestmentProtection Agreement are important frameworks for further strengthening theeconomic, trade and investment relations in a sustainable and inclusive waybetween Vietnam and the EU as well as those between Vietnam and theNetherlands, meeting the interests of all parties and contributing to promotionof international trade liberalisation and the Sustainable Development Goals.Both sides also stressed the need of and expressed strong support for thesigning and ratification of the Agreements in the coming months as well astheir swift implementation, in line with the procedural requirements, for thematerialization of their benefits.
Both sides reaffirmed that their Strategic Partnerships on Climate ChangeAdaptation and Water Management, and on Sustainable Agriculture and FoodSecurity had been productive and would remain pillars of their ComprehensivePartnership. They welcomed the outcomesof the 7th Session of the Inter-Governmental Committee on Climate Changeadaptation and Water Management and the directions of their cooperation,especially regarding the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta, andagreed to collaborate on the coordination and implementation of Resolution 120,the design of the Development Fund for the Mekong Delta and on land subsidence.Other support and cooperation programmes, including the joint efforts to findpossible solutions for coastal erosion in Hoi An, Quang Nam and flood preventionin Ho Chi Minh City, were welcomed and will be supported. Both partiesexpressed their political support for the Global Commission on Adaptation.
Both sides also agreed to maximise the achievements of the StrategicPartnership for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security and welcomed theoutcomes of the 3rd Ministerial Meeting on implementation of the StrategicPartnership held on the occasion of the visit. They also agreed to implementcooperation programs, on the basis of their priorities and strengths, in suchareas as plantation, animal farming, food safety management, smart agriculture,climate change adaptation, water quality etc. including cooperation in thedevelopment of smart agricultural areas and improvement of value chains forVietnamese agricultural produce with emphasis on technology transfer andassistance from Dutch partners to stimulate mutual business opportunities.Sustainable and circular agriculture will be further taken into account in thecooperation programmes. The two parties specifically agreed on furthercooperation on land consolidation and cooperatives. They also expressed theirappreciation that the Netherlands had been invited as the Guest of Honour atthe Ho Chi Minh City Food Expo which was held from November 14 to 17, 2018.
Both sides welcomed the signature of the Memorandum of Understanding on theCooperation on the Agricultural Transition in the Mekong River Delta betweenthe two Governments including first class knowledge and expertise from amongstothers the Wageningen University & Research to provide high qualitytechnical assistance and to start several projects on value chain development.They underlined the link between water availability, water quality and theagricultural transition and welcomed the cooperation on the basis of the twoStrategic Partnership Arrangements to deal with this challenge.
Both sides expressed their satisfaction that Vietnam and the Netherlands havealways been each other’s important trading and investment partner andunderlined the immense potentials and demands for continued cooperation in manyother areas using a multi stakeholder approach, particularly in circulareconomy and agriculture, renewable energy, environmental protection, urbandevelopment and building of smart cities, ocean economy, sea transport,shipbuilding logistics, management of sea ports and airports, aviation,training and research and education. They will work together and continue toshare experiences in order to create favourable conditions for investment andbusiness activities between their companies and partners.
Both sides noted with satisfaction the cooperation between and among theirmunicipal authorities in recent years, and welcomed the linkages and exchangesbetween Hanoi and Amsterdam, Ho Chi Minh City and Rotterdam as well as betweentheir other municipal authorities. Both sides valued their cultural andartistic exchanges, particularly those in 2018 in celebration of the 45thanniversary of their diplomatic relations that contributed to better mutualunderstanding between the two peoples. They also noted with delight thebilateral cooperation programs in environmental conservation and preservation.
Both sides underlined their shared views on international and regional issuesas well as their support for strengthening effective multilateral cooperation,respect for international rule of law and trade liberalisation. They alsoexpressed their commitment to further enhance their collaboration on addressingglobal issues, including on the promotion of the UN’s central role for peace,international security, on sustainable development and on the implementation ofthe Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Both countries reaffirmed theircommitments made in Paris to put forward their best efforts through NationallyDetermined Contributions (NDC’s) and to strengthen these efforts in the yearsahead. Furthermore, they expressed their willingness to strengthen bilateralcooperation, by exchanges of experience and support to each other in thetransfer of technology for climate adaptation and reduction of greenhousegases, in accessing funds for climate. They will enhance the cooperation forthe participating in UN peacekeeping operations.
Both sides acknowledged the importance of the promotion of the rule of law andhuman rights, both of which, taking into account characteristics of eachcountry, are essential for sustainable development, security and stability.They highlighted their exchanges on the promotion of gender equality and theimplementation of the UN Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman orDegrading Treatment or Punishment. Prime Minister Mark Rutte looks forward tofuture cooperation between two sides in the field of equal rights for Lesbian,Gays, Transgender, Bisexual and Intersex (LGBTI) persons.
Both sides expressed their support to efforts to build a strong and prosperousASEAN Community and further step up the ASEAN-EU cooperation towards a futurestrategic partnership. Cooperation between the two most successful regionalorganizations sends a strong signal in favour of effective multilateralism andinternational rule of law, also when dealing with global issues. Both sidesreaffirmed the importance of peace, security, and stability in the South ChinaSea, and respect for the maritime order based on international law, asreflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),including freedoms of navigation and overflight. Both sides expressed supportfor the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct ofParties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the ongoing efforts by ASEAN countriesand China towards the early conclusion of an effective Code of Conduct for theSouth China Sea that would be fully consistent with international law in themaritime domain, as reflected in UNCLOS. All sides shall settle disputes bypeaceful means, refrain from threat or use of force, and abstain from anyactions that may increase tensions or complicate the disputes. The two sidesaim to strengthen cooperation in training and education, exchanges of expertsand research institutes of the two countries in the fields of internationallaw, especially the Law of the Sea. - VNA