HCM City (VNA) - Visiting Icelandic President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson has advised Ho Chi Minh City to seek partnerships with Iceland in high technology, food processing and renewable energies.
He met with Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan during his visit to the southern metropolis on November 5.
Iceland wishes to share its experience in using its high-tech strengths for economic development with Vietnam, he said.
The President said HCM City is the gateway for Iceland to achieve stronger collaboration with the Southeast Asian nation and other cities in the region, he assured.
For his part, Quan noted his hope that the Vietnam visit by the Icelandic leader would help push forward the relationship between the two countries and open up myriad cooperation opportunities for the two sides, especially in seafood, renewal energies and high-tech.
While highlighting the fruitful political ties between Iceland and Vietnam and HCM City in particular, the municipal leader pointed out that the two sides have yet to fully tap their potential for cooperation in trade, investment and science.
He, therefore, proposed Iceland soon open a trade office in Ho Chi Minh City, noting the City always facilitates Vietnamese businesses’ cooperation with Icelandic partners.
Quan called on the Icelandic President to support and accelerate the signing of the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association which gathers Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, thus helping advance trade and investment ties between Vietnam and Iceland.-VNA