Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that Vietnam is moving towards green production, green exports and green energy, always supporting and strictly implementing EU regulations on sustainable production - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
On the afternoon of November 2, in Hanoi, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte attended the high-level plenary session of the Green Economy Forum 2023 organized by the European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham) with the theme "Europe-Vietnam cooperation to promote green initiatives".
Attending the forum were Executive Vice President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis, Chairman of EuroCham Gabor Fluit, leaders of Vietnamese ministries and sectors, ambassadors, associations and businesses of the EU and Vietnam.
At the forum, EU and EuroCham leaders highly appreciated Vietnam's development achievements and great potential, especially in new areas such as green economy, circular economy, and high technology.
According to delegates, the world is changing unpredictably, geopolitical conflicts are fierce, the crisis caused by climate change and depletion of natural resources are posing many challenges, but at the same time opening up new opportunities for socio-economic development of each country. In that context, green and sustainable economic development is the key and mandatory direction for countries around the world.
Over the past time, the EU has promoted its pioneering role in promoting the building of a green and circular global economy, contributing to turning current challenges into opportunities for development, with important strategies and initiatives, concrete steps in areas such as infrastructure development, green hydrogen energy, digital connectivity and mobilizing green finance for development.
Comments also highly appreciated Vietnam's commitment, efforts and solutions to cooperate with EU partners in promoting green energy transition, developing renewable energy and green hydrogen, such as signing the Political Declaration to establish a Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) with the G7 group and international partners, including the EU.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that Vietnam has achieved miraculous economic growth and very few people imagined that Vietnam could turn such things into reality - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
Vietnam has achieved miraculous growth rates.
The Dutch Prime Minister reiterated that this is a special moment in the relationship between Vietnam and the Netherlands as the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations (1973-2023). The two countries have a much longer relationship than that, with Dutch merchant ships docking at Hoi An port more than 400 years ago.
"It may not have been easy to get in touch then, but everything has changed. Today, the Netherlands is the largest European investor in Vietnam and 60% of Vietnam's exports to Europe pass through the Dutch port of Rotterdam," he said.
The Dutch Prime Minister also said that Vietnam has achieved miraculous economic growth and very few people imagined that Vietnam could turn such things into reality.
However, the Dutch Prime Minister said that both countries are facing environmental challenges that require the cooperation of all relevant stakeholders, but first and foremost, the contribution of the business community. "Governments issue regulations, but the private sector determines the success of those policies," he said.
The Dutch Prime Minister recalled that at the Green Economy Forum 2022 held in Ho Chi Minh City, there were 44 Dutch enterprises participating, showing the interest of Dutch enterprises in cooperating with international partners to address global challenges.
The Dutch Prime Minister noted that manufacturing enterprises and suppliers need to comply with the new European Union regulations on sustainable production; he asked Dutch enterprises to support Vietnamese enterprises in doing so.
"We are here at this forum because we believe that green growth is our future and together we can turn our aspirations into reality, so that Vietnam can live up to its name as the land of the 'rising dragon', the land of opportunities. We can work together so that Vietnam and the Netherlands can become 'green dragons', taking advantage of all the new opportunities that lie before us," the Dutch Prime Minister shared.
The Prime Minister emphasized that Vietnam is determined to develop rapidly but sustainably and inclusively, without sacrificing progress, social justice and the environment to pursue mere growth - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
Vietnam aims for green production, green exports and green energy
For his part, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that after the Green Economy Forum in 2023, Vietnam and the EU's partners have done a number of things. This year's forum continues to affirm Europe's determination and support for Vietnam's green development.
The Prime Minister assessed that the relationship between Vietnam and Europe is very good, with many great strides in cooperation in all areas. In particular, the Vietnam-EU trade and investment relationship has recovered and grown well despite difficulties caused by COVID-19 and supply chain disruptions; complementarity and intertwined interests have become increasingly close, especially since the EVFTA Agreement came into effect.
The EU is currently Vietnam's fourth largest trading partner (after China, the United States, and South Korea), third largest export market, and fifth largest import market. Vietnam is the EU's largest trading partner in ASEAN (two-way trade in 2022 reached 62.4 billion USD). The EU is also Vietnam's sixth largest investor with 2,535 active projects with registered capital of more than 29 billion USD as of September 2023.
The Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam always considers the EU one of the most reliable and important partners in its foreign policy.
The Prime Minister once again reiterated the major orientations in Vietnam's development, foreign affairs and defense policies, the main features of Vietnam's investment and business environment, especially Vietnam's commitment to always protect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors in any case.
The Prime Minister emphasized that Vietnam is determined to develop rapidly but sustainably and inclusively, without sacrificing progress, social justice and the environment to pursue pure growth. Vietnam is aiming for green production, green exports and green energy so that investors can operate effectively, sustainably and long-term. For example, the $1 billion factory of the Lego Group (Denmark) in Binh Duong has opened up a trend of green investment in Vietnam.
The Prime Minister said that green economic development and digital economic development have a close, close relationship, promoting each other. If we want green development, we must develop digital economy and vice versa. This is also an inevitable trend, an objective requirement, a strategic choice, and a top priority for Vietnam.
The Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam strongly supports the EU's strategies, initiatives and policies on green development, including regulations on green production, and Vietnam will seriously implement these regulations.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and delegates attend the high-level plenary session of the Green Economy Forum 2023 - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
However, Vietnam is a developing country with a transitional economy and many difficulties. Therefore, the Prime Minister hopes that the EU will continue to share and help Vietnam in the spirit of mutual win-win in building mechanisms and policies, transferring technology, arranging financial resources, training high-quality human resources, improving governance capacity, etc. to promote green development.
On this occasion, the Prime Minister also asked delegates to speak up to urge EU countries to continue ratifying the Vietnam-EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), and for the European Commission to soon remove the IUU yellow card for Vietnam...
In particular, the Prime Minister highly appreciated the Dutch Prime Minister's view of "considering the Mekong Delta as a part of the Netherlands". According to the Prime Minister, this land is facing threats such as subsidence, landslides, drought, saltwater intrusion, rising sea levels, affecting the lives and livelihoods of 22 million people. This land also accounts for 90% of Vietnam's rice export output and 60% of Vietnam's seafood output.
The Prime Minister hopes that partners and investors will continue to support and increase investment in the Mekong Delta region, especially in responding to climate change, building strategic infrastructure, implementing the 1 million hectare high-quality rice program, and reducing emissions to contribute to ensuring food security for the world.
Vietnam is also actively preventing deforestation, promoting afforestation, implementing carbon credit sales, developing biomass power...
The Prime Minister hopes and believes that after this forum, the two sides will continue to take action and make new progress in green economic development.
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