HANOI, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Netherlands' outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Thursday he expects Dutch semiconductors companies and suppliers to invest in Vietnam, as the Southeast Asian country aims to expand in the high-tech sector.

Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of a conference in Hanoi, Rutte said he had no doubt Dutch chips companies and suppliers would follow BE Semiconductor Industries (Besi) , a Dutch maker of chips equipment, in investing in Vietnam.

Besi on Thursday announced it had received approval to make an initial investment of $5 million to rent a factory in the south of the country.

"It's clearly evident," Rutte said of the Dutch interest, noting that a large business delegation accompanied him in his trip to Vietnam.

About half of the 25 business representatives in the mission were from chips companies or suppliers of semiconductors companies, according to the delegation's list.

(Reporting by Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio; Editing by Martin Petty)