The King and Queen of Belgium visit and work in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary Nguyen Van Nen meets with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde. (Source: Department of Labor)

On the morning of April 3, Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary Nguyen Van Nen met with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde at Thong Nhat Hall.

At the meeting, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen welcomed the King and Queen on their special visit to Vietnam and their return to Ho Chi Minh City. Mr. Nguyen Van Nen said that this visit by the King and Queen is very important, being the first State visit after more than 50 years of establishing diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Belgium, and is expected to open a new chapter in bilateral relations, promoting increasingly deeper, more substantial and more effective cooperation.

On behalf of the leaders and people of Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Nguyen Van Nen respectfully thanked the King and Queen as well as the National Assembly, Government and people of Belgium for their meaningful and humanitarian activities in the fields of health,education , social security... in Vietnam over the years, contributing to deepening the relationship between Vietnam and Belgium after more than 50 years of establishing diplomatic relations.

Ho Chi Minh City leaders said that the City wishes and is ready to cooperate with Belgian localities and partners in potential fields.

Secretary of the City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen especially appreciated, thanked and expressed admiration for the Belgian House of Representatives, which was the first foreign parliament to pass a resolution on supporting Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange in October 2023, contributing to promoting international community interest in supporting victims of Agent Orange. The decision of the Belgian Parliament is a moral act with profound meaning towards the Vietnamese people, because until today, not only the Vietnamese people but also those who brought Agent Orange to Vietnam and the following generations are suffering from the effects of this toxic substance.

Secretary of the City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen thanked the Queen of Belgium, in her capacity as Honorary President of UNICEF Belgium (United Nations Children's Fund in Belgium), for her many contributions in the fields of healthcare, education, and support for disadvantaged children in Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City; and thanked Belgium for supporting and helping Ho Chi Minh City during the difficult period to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ho Chi Minh City leaders said that Ho Chi Minh City wishes and is ready to cooperate with Belgian localities and partners in potential areas such as education, healthcare, environmental protection, science and technology, etc., turning these potentials into projects to realize the friendly relationship between Vietnam and Belgium, as well as the special affection of the King and Queen for the Vietnamese people.

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde visit the War Remnants Museum and talk to Agent Orange victims.

Thanking the warm welcome of the leaders and people of Ho Chi Minh City, King Philippe of Belgium expressed his joy to return to Ho Chi Minh City to witness the dynamic and strong development of the City compared to the first time when the King visited Ho Chi Minh City in 1994.

King Philippe emphasized that in the context of the current unpredictable world situation, Belgium and Vietnam need to further strengthen solidarity and promote cooperation between the two sides. The King and Queen's visit to Vietnam this time will be a positive milestone in the relationship between Belgium and Vietnam towards the future.

According to the King, Belgian businesses participating in this visit not only hope to bring the best economic potential of Belgium but also the opportunity to cooperate and support Vietnam in social areas such as caring for children in difficult circumstances. During this visit to Vietnam, the King witnessed the good development in a number of cooperation projects between Belgium and Vietnam, and also realized that the two countries still have a lot of potential for cooperation, including in the fields of education and training.

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde visit Vinh Nghiem Pagoda.

In Ho Chi Minh City, Belgium plans to further promote social projects with the aim of not only investing but also bringing practical benefits to the community, contributing to the development of relations between the two countries. In addition, Belgium also wishes to further promote cooperation between small and medium enterprises in potential areas.

After the meeting, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde visited Vinh Nghiem Pagoda and the War Remnants Museum as part of their working visit to Ho Chi Minh City.

At the Museum, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde visited the thematic exhibition “Consequences of Agent Orange during the American war of aggression in Vietnam”.

After visiting the exhibition hall, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde also met and talked with Agent Orange victims. The meeting took place in a warm and emotional atmosphere. At the end of the visit and working session, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde signed the book of impressions at the Museum.