On 26 June 2023, at the Royal Leonardo Hotel in The Hague, the Embassy of Vietnam in the Netherlands solemnly celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Netherlands and Vietnam.
Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà and His Royal Highness Prince Jaime de Bourbon de Parme, Netherlands Special Climate Envoy, Vietnamese deputy ministers from the Government Office, the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Natural Resources and Environment, Planning and Investment, Agriculture and Rural Development, Transportation, representatives of the Dutch Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Infrastructure and Water Management, Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, as well as representatives of businesses, associations of the Vietnamese community in the Netherlands, numerous former ambassadors, experts and long-time friends of Vietnam were present.
Many Ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions in The Hague also came to share the significant moment between the two countries.
In his opening speech, His Excellency Mr. Phạm Việt Anh, Ambassador of Vietnam to The Netherlands, emphasized that it was the sharing of natural circumstances, similarities in thought, perception and mutual trust that brought the two countries closer and created a solid foundation for cooperation, encouraging the two countries to tighten and elevate their relations. Moreover, the two countries have a good vocation: this cooperation aims not only at their own interests but also at the progress of the international community.
His Excellency Mr. Trần Hồng Hà, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister, highlighted the history of over 400 years of relations between the Netherlands and Vietnam and the great achievements of 50 years of cooperation. The 8th meeting of the Netherlands-Vietnam Intergovernmental Committee in The Hague, co-chaired by him, was one of the important steps in the cooperation in strategic partnership on climate change adaptation and water management.
For his part, His Royal Highness Prince Jaime de Bourbon de Parme confirmed that the enduring basis of the relationship between the two countries is friendship and mutual trust as well as the long-standing trade relationship, dating back to when Dutch merchant fleets docked at the port of Hoi An in Vietnam. He recalled his vivid impressions from his trip to Vietnam a few months ago.
His Royal Highness is pleased to see Vietnam flourishing spectacularly and with great potential. He was also proud that The Netherlands have provided effective support for the development of Vietnam and expressed The Netherlands’ great desire to further strengthen this comprehensive partnership of the two countries, especially in areas where the Netherlands have strengths.
The creative combination of Vietnamese ethnic musical instruments such as t’rung, k’longput, nhi, ding pá…and the violin, Vietnamese and Dutch dishes placed side by side contributed to complete an atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding of the guests.
His Excellency Mr. Trần Hồng Hàand His Royal Highness Jaime de Bourbon de Parme inaugurated a series of photo and a documentary film exhibitions on the theme “Exploration of Vietnam” that is on display until the end of the anniversary year 2023 in The Netherlands.
