Vice Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Thi
Hong has made it clear that the European Union (EU) is the city’s key
economic partner.
Receiving Werner Langen, head of the
European Parliament (EP) delegation for relations with the countries of
Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in HCM
City on November 1, Hong spoke highly of the EP’s role in promoting
cooperation between the city and the EU.
She expressed hope
for the EP’s further support to Vietnam during its socio-economic
development and negotiations for the Vietnam–EU free trade agreement
(FTA).
Langen said as HCM City is crucial to the European
business community, the purpose of his visit is to learn about its
business environment, adding that European firms highly value the city’s
stable progression.
He noted that once the Vietnam–EU FTA
is signed, HCM City will surely benefit the most and such will prove
beneficial to both Vietnam and the EU.
Both host and guest
shared information related to sustainable development policies,
transport infrastructure and local-level decentralised administration.
From January to September this year, EU companies invested in an
additional 50 projects in the city – home to 364 foreign representative
offices, many of which are from the EU.-VNA