At the invitation of Politburo member and President Luong Cuong, the King and Queen Mother of the Kingdom of Belgium paid a state visit to Vietnam from March 31 to April 4.
On the morning of April 1, at the Presidential Palace, President Luong Cuong and his wife presided over the welcoming ceremony for King Philippe and Queen Mathilde.
Attending the welcoming ceremony were Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc; Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Vu Hong Thanh; Head of the Office of the President Le Khanh Hai; Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien; Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung; Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy;
Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Tran Sy Thanh; Deputy Minister of National Defense, Senior Lieutenant General Le Huy Vinh; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang; Deputy Minister of Public Security Nguyen Ngoc Lam; Assistant to President Nguyen Hoang Anh; Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Nguyen Van Thao.
A large number of children of the capital were present at the Presidential Palace waving flags of the two countries to welcome King Philippe and Queen Mathilde and the noble delegation of the Kingdom of Belgium.
This is the first State visit after more than 50 years of Vietnam and Belgium establishing diplomatic relations, especially in the context of Vietnam entering a new era; an important historical milestone, bringing the relationship between the two countries into a new stage of development, with higher political trust and cooperation being promoted more substantially and effectively.
Previously, both the King and Queen of the Kingdom of Belgium have visited Vietnam many times in different positions and left many impressions. Although this is the first State visit to Vietnam, for the King and Queen, it is truly a return to Vietnam, returning to the land where the King and Queen have had many memories and feelings for previous visits.
Vietnam and the Kingdom of Belgium officially established diplomatic relations on March 22, 1973, just two months after the Paris Agreement was signed. Vietnam always remembers the voluntary help of the Belgian Government and people for the country's reconstruction and recovery program after the war.
Over the past 50 years, bilateral relations between Vietnam and the Kingdom of Belgium have been continuously consolidated and developed well in all fields, especially politics - diplomacy, trade, agriculture, education and training, science - technology cooperation, development cooperation... at the federal, regional and community levels.
