Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung (middle) and Vice President of the Emilia-Romagna Regional Council Zamboni Silva (second, left) and other delegates pose for a photo. (Photo: VNA) The diplomat worked with Vice President of the Emilia-RomagnaRegional Council Zamboni Silva, member of the Bologna City Council Anna LisaBoni, Mayor of Reggio Emilia city Luca Vecchi, and attended many activities to promoteeconomic and cultural cooperation between Vietnam and the region.
At the working sessions with the Italian officials,Hung thanked people of the Emilia-Romagna region and Reggio Emilia city for their solidarity with and support to Vietnam during the past struggle for national independence,freedom and reunification, as well as national reconstruction.
He showed his delight at the development of ties between Vietnamand the Emilia-Romagna region not only in politics but also in economy, with two-waytrade accounting for 40% of the total trade turnover between Vietnam and Italy.
Hung expressed his hope that the administration and businesses ofthe two sides will strengthen cooperation through promotion activities ofVietnam in Emilia-Romagna, while organising visits by officials and businessesof the Italian region to Vietnam and beefing up locality-to-localitypartnership.
Leaders of Emilia-Romagna underlined that the solidarity that theadministration and people of the region and Vietnam set up in the past is afirm foundation for the two sides to promote specific and practical collaboration in the future, especially amid the dynamic economic development of both sides and the implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement(EVFTA) and the mutual supplementation in the fields of sustainableagriculture, green energy and innovation.
Emilia-Romagna is an important economic locomotive of Italywith strengths in agriculture, automobile manufacturing, education-training,banking, insurance and food production.
In order to bolster cooperation with the region in economy,especially new energy, the Vietnamese Embassy and the Italy-Vietnam Foundationand the Asia Institute under the University of Bologna jointly held aroundtable on the sustainable development of Vietnam and opportunities for Emilia-Romagnain the field of renewable energy and hydrogen.
Addressing the event, Hung highlighted Vietnam’senergy transition policy towards green and sustainable economy and climatechange adaptation, especially the commitment that Vietnam made at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). He stressed the country’s demand forcooperation with international partners in the work, including Italy in generaland Emilia-Romagna in particular.
Representatives from leading energy firms of the region introduced models andsolutions in renewable energy, including hydrogen, and sought cooperation possibilitieswith Vietnam in the field.
On the occasion, Hung also had a working session with President ofthe Chamber of Commerce of Reggio Emilia city, as well as representatives fromeconomic agencies and business associations of the city, and University ofModena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE).
The diplomat witnessed the signing of a memorandum ofunderstanding between the Italy-Vietnam Foundation and the Asia Institute underthe University of Bologna on research cooperation.
He also visited the Institute of Musical Studies of ReggioEmilia and Castelnovo ne' Monti, and worked with leaders of Rotary Club inBologna and Reggio Emilia./.
VNA
