HCM City fosters trade, cultural cooperation with UK

Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong (R) shakes hands with British Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Vietnam Ed Vaizey (Photo: VNA)

HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City wishes to foster cultural exchanges with UK localities to deepen mutual understanding and boost friendship between people of the city and the UK, said Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong.

The official made the statement on November 8 while receiving the British Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Vietnam Ed Vaizey, who was on a working visit to the city.

He lauded the development of trade relations between HCM City and the UK over the recent years and said the UK is an important trade partner and a major investor of HCM City.  

The two sides have deployed cooperation in health and education as well as building smart urban areas and smart traffic management, Phong stressed, adding that HCM City has also improved its investment climate and created favourable conditions for foreign investors, including businesses from the UK.

Phong told his guest that the city wants to strengthen ties with UK firms in urban waste treatment, smart city building and tertiary education.

For his part, Ed Vaizey stated the UK has paid heed to cooperation with HCM City, especially in fields of the city’s concern like metros, solutions to urban pollution and becoming a smart city.

He noted that HCM City and the UK hold great cooperation potentials in education, tourism and cultural exchange. The UK is willing to support HCM City to promote the cultural industry as well as cultural activities between people of the city and UK localities, the trade envoy said.-VNA