Rep. agencies asked to connect HCM City with foreign nations

HCM City (VNA) - Ho Chi Minh City expected that Vietnamese representative agencies abroad will continue serving as bridges to foster foreign relations between the city and countries worldwide, thus contributing its socio-economic development, said a local official.

Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong expressed the desire during a meeting on August 3 with a delegation of new heads of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad for the 2018-2021 term, which was led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vu Hong Nam.

Phong wished the new ambassadors, consuls general and heads of overseas Vietnamese representative agencies success in their new tasks, thereby helping to strengthen the cooperation and friendship between Vietnam and other countries in the world.

He asked the heads of Vietnamese representative agencies to support the city in setting up links with new partners such as Middle East countries and Israel.

The municipal authorities commit to listening to and is willing to work as a strong supporter for the Vietnamese representative agencies to fulfill their assigned tasks, Phong stressed.

He called on the heads of Vietnamese representative agencies to provide updated information related policies, investment environment of foreign countries for the city’s enterprises, as well as support HCM City’s trade and investment promotion activities in foreign countries.

Phong hoped the agencies will help introduce the city’s projects that are calling for foreign investment and key projects to potential partners and investors.

He also asked them to pay attention to working closely with the city in organising cultural and tourism exchange events, thus enhancing mutual understanding and cultural and tourism cooperation between HCM City and foreign nations.

The agencies were also called to assist HCM city in connecting with intellectuals, potential overseas businesses, thus contributing to the development of the city, and the country in general.

Nam, who has been appointed as Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, expressed his impression of HCM City’s development, affirming that the heads of the representative agencies will continue to promote their role as bridges to connect the city with foreign countries.

They will help the city attract more foreign investment, especially in prioritised areas such as transportation infrastructure and port development, he said.

The official asked the municipal authorities to coordinate more closely with agencies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and actively join diplomatic activities.

The city should determine the focus and demand for international cooperation in the coming time, thus the ministry and representative agencies will assist in finding suitable partners, towards promoting economic diplomacy for the city’s socio-economic development.

During the meeting, participants discussed a plan to develop HCM City into a smart city as well as its prioritised programmes and projects.

They also focused on orientations and plans to push up links between HCM City and the host countries which the Vietnamese diplomats will take office, especially in the spheres of investment attraction, technology transfer, trade cooperation and cultural exchanges.-VNA