Ho Chi Minh City leader welcomes US Mayor of Los Angeles hinh anh 1Leaders of HCM City and the US delegation from Los Angeles pose for a group photo (Source: VNA)

HCM City (VNA) – Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong has lauded the visit by Mayor of the US city of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti for laying the foundation for the signing of long-term cooperation agreements between the two cities.

During a reception in Ho Chi Minh City on July 30, Phong said achievements in joint work remain modest compared to their potential. He expressed his hope that with the mutual efforts of the two authorities, both sides will fully tap their potential via specific programmes and projects.

Ho Chi Minh City welcomes and offers all possible support to foreign enterprises, including those from the US and Los Angeles, in seeking cooperation opportunities and launching long-term projects in promising fields such as urban infrastructure, startups, and technology, he said.

Informing the host about the outcomes of his meeting with the Vietnamese Prime Minister, businesses, and social organisations, Garcetti said the two sides agreed to speed up the launch of direct flights between Los Angeles and Ho Chi Minh City in order to facilitate bilateral trade and investment.

He said Los Angeles is ready to share its experiences with Ho Chi Minh City in priority fields such as smart urban development, digital technology in urban management, cyber security protection, and startup community development.

The Mayor wished that the two localities would further step up people-to-people diplomacy and cultural exchanges in order to push forward Vietnam-US ties in the near future.

On the occasion, he invited Ho Chi Minh City to attend an international conference on climate change and environment between major cities, and a seminar on urban transportation, slated for September in Los Angeles. –VNA 
VNA