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Submitted by ctv_en_3 on Mon, 04/30/2007 - 15:00
The Netherlands is one of Europe’s biggest investors in Vietnam, with a total capitalisation of around US$2.3 billion. Many Dutch companies can be said to be operating effectively in Vietnam.

On the occasion of Netherlands National Day, VOVNews interviewed the Netherlands Ambassador to Vietnam, Andre Haspels.

 

VOVNews: What is your evaluation of friendship relations between the Netherlands and Vietnam?

Ambassador Haspels: Co-operation between the Netherlands and Vietnam has developed strongly in recent years, especially with regard to economic relations and I believe those relations will continue to develop well in the next three to four years.


Let me give you some figure about trade relations. Total export value in 2006 is estimated to have reached US$812 million and total import value was US$350 million.  Vietnam mainly exported agricultural products, furniture, wood products, handicrafts, and seafood to the Netherlands and the Netherlands mainly exported machinery and agricultural products.


In term of investment, the Netherlands is one of the biggest European investors in Vietnam, with a total capitalization of US$2.3 billion. Last year the Netherlands invested 12 million euros, and in first months of 2007, it had already invested US$6 million. Many Dutch businesses are very active in Vietnam, for example: Dutch Lady Vietnam, Unilever, Heniken and Philips. With regard to shipbuilding, some Dutch companies are also co-operating with the Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (Vinashin).


These figures demonstrate that co-operation is meeting Vietnamese expectations but I think there are some other fields that the two countries can further promote co-operation.

 

VOVNews: In which fields should the two countries seek to further promote co-operation?

Ambassador Haspels: I think that there are many other fields that the two countries can co-operate further, such as shipbuilding, water. The Netherlands would like to do much more in waste water treatment and water management) and energy areas in which many Dutch companies are very strong. Vietnam is interested in developing alternative energy sources such as solar energy and wind energy. Furthermore, the Netherlands also wants to co-operate with Vietnam in medical equipment and agriculture.

Although Vietnam has exported a lot of agriculture products to the Netherlands but I think that the country should try to further improve the quality of its products. For example, the EU in general and the Netherlands in particular are big markets for Vietnamese cashew nuts and coffee.

 

VOVNews: Can you give some advice to Vietnamese exporters?

Ambassador Haspels: Vietnam should open distribution offices in the Netherlands in order to further promote exports to the Netherlands. Vietnam can export furniture, wood products and handicrafts. I saw many beautiful handicrafts and silk or lacquer products and I think that European and Dutch people will like these products. Yesterday, I spoke to ceramic and flower vase exporters. I think that the Netherlands will be a big market for these products, in addition to seafood and garment products. The quality of Vietnamese seafood products has improved and garments are also an important product of Vietnam, the Netherlands is looking to Vietnam for high quality garment products.

 

 

VOVNews: Has the Netherlands assisted Vietnam in its administration reform and anti-corruption measures?

Ambassador Haspels: The Netherlands Government has provided computers and helped the anti-corruption office with its human resources training. The Netherlands Government also helped Vietnam to obtain aid from donors such as Demark, Sweden and the European Commission.


We highly view Vietnam’s establishment of an Anti-corruption Committee, headed by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. Corruption is a serious problem that needs to be addressed and tackled. It’s very good that politicians are aware of this problem.

Tackling corruption requires a lot of things, and first is a change of mind. It requires the Government to set a good example and also provide financial resources. Vietnam has adopted the Anti-corruption Law but more important is that the anti-corruption law will be implemented at central, provincial and local levels. People need to be trained about corruption in order to help them understand about the anti-corruption law. And most important is that businesses only have to pay a normal start-up cost and they do not have to pay anything else to get business licences.

 

VOVNews: Can you tell us about cultural co-operation between the two countries?

Ambassador Haspels: Education is the first priority in cultural co-operation. We have offered many training courses and scholarships for Vietnamese students in order to attract more Vietnamese students to study in the Netherlands.


Besides, we have organized film weeks and music and arts exchanges. We are also preparing to organize an exhibition called the ”EU herd of cows” at Unification Park, which will exhibit 28 life-sized plastic cows, with each cow representing each European country. The exhibition will also help visitors understand about the EC.


Each year, we organize around 3-4 big cultural events with an aim of strengthening cultural co-operation between the two countries, as well as helping Vietnam gain better understanding about the Netherlands’ land and people.


We are also looking for co-operation between the Dutch Football Federation and the Vietnamese Football Federation. Under the co-operation framework, the two federations will exchange players, and information on how to make soccer competition and how to organize events.

 

VOVNews: How have you felt about Vietnam’s land and people during your time working here?

Ambassador Haspels: I have been here for nearly two years. I like Vietnamese people as they are very active, hardworking, and dynamic. People are always busy and I appreciate that in Vietnamese people. There are very big differences between Vietnam and the Netherlands. And one of the hard things for me is to learn Vietnamese. It is impossible to learn Vietnamese unless you contributed 100 percent of your time to study but if you speak a few Vietnamese words, you will see that the Vietnamese are very happy when you try to communicate in their language. Vietnamese people have a very good sense of humor.


I like the business approach of Vietnamese people. If you talk to a Vietnamese person, you will know what you can do and cannot do. In some Asian countries, it is very difficult to find out if yes is really yes and no is really no and what is in between. At end of the meeting, I had an idea that people at the meeting want to co-operate in the project.

 

VOVNews: Could you say few words in Vietnamese?

Ambassador Haspels: Tôi rất thích người Việt Nam. Gia đình tôi có 2 con trai và 2 con gái. Gia đình tôi rất thích Việt Nam.

(I very much like Vietnamese people. My family has two sons and two daughters. My family likes Vietnam.)

 

VOVNews: Thank you very much.

 

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