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