HCMC – King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium arrived in Hanoi in the early hours of March 31, starting their five-day state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of State President Luong Cuong and his spouse, reported the Vietnam News Agency.
The delegation was welcomed at the Noi Bai International Airport by Phan Thi Kim Oanh, vice chairwoman of the State President’s Office, Le Thi Thu Hang, deputy minister of Foreign Affairs, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Nguyen Van Thao.
This is the first state visit to Vietnam by the King and the Queen.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said that the visit, especially considering that the King of Belgium rarely makes visits to countries outside Europe within a year, demonstrates Belgium’s special regard for Vietnam and the country’s role and position in the Asia-Pacific region.
Belgium is currently Vietnam’s sixth-largest export market in Europe, while Vietnam is Belgium’s largest trading partner in ASEAN. In 2024, bilateral trade reached US$4.45 billion.
In terms of investment, Belgium has 100 investment projects in Vietnam with total registered capital of US$1.1 billion, primarily focusing on maritime transport, logistics services, and renewable energy.
Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang said that accompanying the King and the Queen of Belgium on this visit are 34 CEOs from leading Belgian and EU corporations in sectors such as logistics, seaports, energy transition, climate change response, healthcare, and food. Additionally, 16 leaders from Belgium’s top universities and research institutes are also part of the delegation.
