Hanoi works hard on external work, int'l integration

Organisations and individuals who have recorded outstanding achievements in successfully organising the 12th Vietnam-France decentralised cooperation conference are presented with certificates of merit from the municipal People's Committee. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The People’s Committee of Hanoi hosted a meeting on August 29 to review the organisation of the 12th Vietnam-France decentralised cooperation conference, and put forth orientations for implementing external work in the rest of the year.

The 12th Vietnam-France decentralised cooperation conference was held successfully in April 2023, marking an important milestone in the series of activities celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and 10 years of strategic partnership between the two countries.

This event highlighted the significant role, credibility, and crucial contributions of local-level cooperation mechanisms to the bilateral relations.

The conference included a plenary session and four symposiums, gathering nearly 1,000 delegates from 50 localities in Vietnam and 12 from France.

It also featured a wide range of activities such as the signing of cooperation agreements, photo exhibitions on Vietnam – France relations, a Vietnam – France business forum, the “Balade en France" festival, and field trips. Activities during the conference served as a foundation for continued exchanges in the future, fostering a cooperative and friendly relationship for mutual development between localities of the two countries. The conference holds significant importance, not only for the foreign affairs of the capital city but also for advancing the diplomatic relationship between Vietnam and France.

In the first eight months of 2023, Hanoi closely integrated its foreign affairs efforts with the implementation of the post-pandemic economic and social recovery and development tasks, while promoting comprehensive international integration, with a particular focus on economic integration.

Municipal authorities have worked to deepen collaborative partnerships in a practical and effective manner and strengthen international relations and external work across political, economic, and cultural dimensions.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen said the city has directed the implementation of significant foreign affairs activities with crucial political implications.

He suggested the foreign affairs sector of the capital city and the Hanoi Department of Foreign Affairs in particular remain creative and determined, and enhance innovation in their management to well perform set tasks.

Agencies and units must intensify their efforts in researching, providing consultancy, and strategically forecasting the global and regional situations that could impact the capital city, and identify directions and build long-term and annual foreign affairs plans that align with the situations in the city, the nation, and the world, Quyen said.

Departments, sectors, and localities need to actively attract domestic and international resources for development, thus further deepening relations with partners and fostering international integration, striving to make Hanoi a model in foreign affairs efforts.

On the occasion, 36 organisations and 21 individuals who have recorded outstanding achievements in successfully organising the 12th Vietnam-France decentralised cooperation conference were presented with certificates of merit from the municipal People's Committee.

Hanoi has become one of the capitals with large areas and populations in the world. Taking advantage of this, the municipal authorities have bolstered the city's development in a rapid, comprehensive and sustainable direction, maintaining its role as an economic locomotive of the country.

Hanoi’s GRDP grew by 5.97% in the first half of 2023, 1.6 times higher than the national average. The city’s budget revenue rose by 22.9% over the same period last year.

The capital city attracted 1.69 billion USD in foreign direct investment (FDI) last year, among the country's top localities in this field. The figure represents a year-on-year rise of 10.3%. The FDI inflow into the city rose to 2.26 billion USD in the first six months of this year./.