Workshop looks back on 50 years of Vietnam-Netherlands ties

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a workshop on 50 years of relations between Vietnam and the Netherlands, and their achievements and prospects, in Hanoi on December 15, as part of activities marking the 50th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties this year.
Workshop looks back on 50 years of Vietnam-Netherlands ties ảnh 1Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang and delegates (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs helda workshop on 50 years of relations between Vietnam and the Netherlands, and their achievements and prospects,in Hanoi on December 15, as part of activities marking the 50th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties this year.

In her opening speech, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le ThiThu Hang affirmed that the Vietnam-Netherlands relationship is typical of dynamic,effective and practical cooperation.

The two countries have become priority and important partners of each other through the establishment of a comprehensive partnership in 2019,with political trust increasingly consolidated. The Netherlands hasbecome Vietnam's second largest trade partner in Europe and the biggest EUinvestor in Vietnam, she said.

According to the diplomat, the two countries established a strategic partnershipon climate change response and water management in 2010, and a strategic partnershipon sustainable agriculture and food security in 2014. They have rolled outspecific and practical projects in the Mekong Delta. The bilateral relationshiphas expanded to national defence-security, transport and sci-tech, both atthe central and local levels.

Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Kees van Baar, for his part,expressed his wish to join with Vietnam in seizing opportunities of the next fivedecades, towards deepening collaboration in various fields, especiallypeople-to-people exchange and sustainable development.

About orientations to future cooperation, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said the two countries needto continue maintaining a solid political foundation through meetings at alllevels and channels to facilitate cooperation in other areas.

Economy, trade and investment should remain an important pillarin the bilateral ties, she suggested, adding that both nations should take advantage of significant opportunities brought by legal frameworks such as the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement(EVIPA).

As they are seeing new opportunities and driving forces ofcooperation in the circular economy and green growth, the diplomat proposed fullytapping Vietnam’s advantages and potential, with the support of the Netherlands,in institutional building, technology transfer and workforce training, towardssustainable development./.

VNA

See more

Ministries and sectors are requested to pay special attention to promoting election publicity and legal education. - Illustrative image (baochinhphu.vn)

Government sets out coordinated plan for 2026 elections

The plan also aims to ensure that the elections are conducted in a democratic, equal and law-abiding manner, while being safe and cost-effective, truly becoming a nationwide civic event, thus contributing to strengthening and enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of the state apparatus and building a socialist rule-of-law state of Vietnam of the people, by the people and for the people.

President Ho Chi Minh’s image featured on ballots at Communist Party of Uruguay congress (Photo: VNA)

Image of President Ho Chi Minh appears on ballots at Uruguay Communist Party congress

Among the ballots used at the congress were three featuring posters of President Ho Chi Minh and one bearing an image depicting the Vietnamese people engaged in production during the period of resistance against foreign aggression. The latter also carried the inscriptions “80th Anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day” and “33rd National Congress of the PCU".

Flowers are laid in memory of victims of the shooting on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, on December 15, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Vietnam sends sympathy to Australia following Sydney shooting

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on December 15 sent a message of sympathy to his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese over a shooting that occurred on December 14 at Bondi beach in Sydney, New South Wales, resulting in multiple civilian casualties.

Party General Secretary To Lam and NA deputies are welcomed by locals in Hung Yen on December 15, 2025 (Photo: VNA)

Party leader meets with voters in Hung Yen province

Responding to Hung Yen voters’ recommendations, Party General Secretary To Lam affirmed the consistent principle of placing people at the centre, safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests, and ensuring that all policies and decisions serve the people.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung holds phone talks with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Maria Theresa Lazaro on December 15. (Photo : VNA)

Vietnamese, Philippine foreign ministers hold phone talks

Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung and his Philippine counterpart Maria Theresa Lazaro agreed to continue promoting efforts to elevate bilateral ties to a new height, including stepping up high-level and all-level delegation exchanges across Party, State, National Assembly and people-to-people channels.

The NA Standing Committee's meeting on electoral affairs on December 15. (Photo: quochoi.vn)

NA Standing Committee discusses electoral affairs

The NA Standing Committee adopted a resolution on the first adjustment to the structure, composition, and number of candidates nominated for the 16th NA, and approved a plan to supervise and inspect the election.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man chairs the fourth meeting of the National Election Council on December 15, 2025. (Photo: VNA)

Election preparations on track ahead of upcoming polls: NA Chairman

Highlighting key positive aspects of the preparation process so far, the top legislator pointed to the strong, coordinated engagement of agencies from the central to local levels, swift yet methodical progress, particularly in finalising documents, developing organisational plans and drafting resolutions on electoral units.

Frigate 015 – Tran Hung Dao and the delegation of the Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN) on December 14 leave Jinhae Naval Base. (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Frigate 015 – Tran Hung Dao concludes visit to RoK

During the visit, officers and sailors of the two navies toured Frigate 015 and the RoK Navy’s Munmu the Great destroyer, shared experience in training and long-duration deployments at sea, and took part in sports exchanges. The VPN delegation also hosted a banquet aboard Frigate 015 for senior officers and sailors of the host navy.