At the reception, Mr. Phong highly valued Vietnam-France Friendship relation, saying this relation has been well-developed through high-profile visits of both sides’ leaders.

In a brief of HCMC’s socio-economic development situation, Mr. Phong said apart from achieved results, HCMC is now facing with many challenges that have directly impact on people’s lives such as weak infrastructure, climate change, traffic congestion, food safety and hygiene. To solve this, the city has ceaselessly completed its mechanisms and created a favorable business and investment environment via attractive policies of calling for foreign investment.

Regarding to the relation between HCMC and localities of France, Mr. Phong said it has been deepened and reinforced through deep and wide co-operation programs between both sides. In term of investment, France has now 175 investment projects worth US$ 850 million, ranked 11 out of 175 countries and territories investing in HCMC. In 2015, import-export volume between HCMC and France reached US$ 750 million.

Mr. Phong expressed his hope that France will strengthen its investment in HCMC in fields of science-technology, technical infrastructure, health, education. The co-operation results will be a practical foundation to promote comprehensive co-operation relation between Vietnam and France.

Reviewing the Vietnam-France relation, Mr. Claude Bartolone said France always attachés importance to establishment of friendship and co-operation relation with Vietnam and considers Vietnam as its important partner in the region. In the past time, many French companies have doing successful business in Vietnam and expecting to expand their investment here. Many Vietnamese students have been choosing France as their working and studying place. This is a sign of closely and deeply developed relation between both countries.

Agreeing with suggestion of leader of HCMC, Mr.Claude Bartolone affirmed The Government of France is ready to share its experience, to strengthen co-operation with HCMC in fields of climate change, infrastructure, clean water, wastewater treatment, environmental pollution, public transport and energy.
 

HCM CITYWEB