PM Pham Minh Chinh (left) meets the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Henri (Photo: VNA) 

 PM Chinh took the occasion to affirm that Viet Nam attaches importance to and wants to strengthen its comprehensive cooperation with Luxembourg, a founding member of the European Union (EU).

 The Grand Duke shared his good impression from his visit to Viet Nam 10 years ago, and voiced support for the will of the two countries’ Government to take their bilateral relationship into a new period of development.

 The two sides took note with pleasures the development of bilateral cooperation, especially in investment, since the two countries established diplomatic ties nearly 50 years ago.

 PM Chinh conveyed an invitation from Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Nguyen Xuan Phuc to the Grand Duke of Luxembourg to visit Viet Nam in 2023 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

 The Grand Duke expressed his wish to early visit Viet Nam again to witness the Southeast Asian country’s socio-economic achievements and further deepen the Luxembourg-Viet Nam cooperation, first of all in green finance and education-training.

 The Vietnamese government leader shared with the Grand Duke the resolve of the two governments to promote cooperation in potential fields such as green finance, renewable energy, logistics connectivity and the early formation of a strategic partnership on green finance, with the aim of optimizing Luxembourg’s strengths and helping Viet Nam implement its green growth strategy in 20021-2030 with a vision to 2050, and deliver on its commitments on climate change at the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference (COP26).

 Regarding economy-trade, the two leaders agreed on the need to effectively implement the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). PM Chinh asked the Luxembourg side to push for the early ratification of the EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) by other EU members.

 Viet Nam also hoped to receive Luxembourg’s support in finance and technology during the transition to and development of renewable energy, and in the establishment of a just energy transition partnership (JETP) with G7 and international partners on the basis of ensuring harmonious interests of all parties so as to together respond to global issues, Chinh said.

 Grand Duke Henri spoke highly of Viet Nam’s role in the region and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He noted his concern about climate change in the Mekong Delta, which he considered a key issue in the bilateral relations between the two countries. He also pledged to support Viet Nam in realising green growth targets.
       
 The Grand Duke said he supports and encourages Luxembourg firms to increase investment in Viet Nam in such fields as digital transformation, renewable energy, strategic infrastructure. He also advocated stronger cooperation in education-training, culture, sports and tourism, people-to-people exchanges, and especially the provision of more scholarships for Vietnamese students to receive education in Luxembourg. 
          
 PM Chinh thanked the Grand Duke for the support, and suggested that he continue to create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in Luxembourg in their integration into the host society./.