First Deputy Mayor of Germany’s Leipzig city Torsten Bonew presents a gift to Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City Vo Van Hoan. (Photo: VNA) Hoan highlighted the similarities between the two cities asthe major economic hubs of each country as well as their sound collaboration inmany fields such as healthcare and caring for animals at the city's Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden.
HCM City hopes to learn Leipzig’s experience in dealing withits current problems such as traffic congestion, environmental pollution, andemployment, he said, asking for the German city’s increasedexchange of delegations with HCM City to deepen mutual understanding and strengthenmutual support.
Hoan said that HCM City is keen on working with Leipzig inbuilding mechanisms of coordination in organising activities to celebrate the50th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Germany diplomatic relations in2025.
In the future, the two cities should continue to enhance the efficiency ofcooperation activities in healthcare, clean water supply and wastewatertreatment, while expanding their ties to education, investment and urbanmanagement.
For his part, Bonew showed his impression of the dynamism,optimism and creativity of HCM City residents, and held that the two cities havefaced similar problems in urban development such as traffic jams,environmental pollution and immigrants.
He said that the two city’s leaders should meet and listento ideas from experts in these areas to exchange experience in dealing with theproblems.
Bonew underscored that Leipzig and HCM City, which have set up twinned relations, have set a model in locality-to-locality cooperation between the twocountries. The two cities should conduct more specific and effective cooperationactivities to mark the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relationsbetween the two countries in 2025, he said.
Noting that Leipzig is now the only German locality to openits representative office in HCM City, Bonew expressed his hope that HCM City willconsider the opening of a representative office in Leipzig.
The same day, Vice Chairman of the HCM City People’sCommittee Ngo Minh Chau also had a meeting with Ricardo Valente, Councilor forFinance, Economic Activities and Monitoring of Portugal’s Porto city.
Welcoming the visit by Valente who has been accompanied with anumber of businesses of Porto, Chau described it as an important milestone inthe partnership between the two cities, especially in economy.
HCM City hopes to penetrate Europe more deeply throughPortugal in general and Porto - the second biggest city of Portugal and thecountry’s northern economic hub - in particular, he said, pledging that HCM Cityis ready to become a gateway for Portugal to enter the ASEAN market. Chau expressed hope thatPorto will share its experience and cooperate with the city in preserving andrestoring ancient architectural works as well as cultural and historical tourismdevelopment.
Valente said that Porto has worked hard to build and strengthen its relationswith HCM City through delegation exchanges, meetings and working sessions ofleaders of the two cities.
He lauded the theme of the HCM City Economic Forum, affirming that Porto isinterested in green growth in its development policy.
Porto is willing to share its experience and learn from HCMCity in socioeconomic development, including building a green and sustainabledevelopment strategy, he stated./.
VNA
