In order to realize the goal of becoming a model city in the region, HCMC focuses on building a smart city, turning the eastern districts into an innovative and highly interactive urban area as well as developing HCMC into a regional financial center; however, the city also faces difficulties in infrastructure, environment and climate change issues.
Chairman Phong hoped that the Swiss Ambassador would promote connection and cooperation between HCMC and Switzerland in commercial investments, building a smart city, introducing new technologies in the field of innovation as well as expanding exchanges and cooperation in the fields of culture, health and tourism.
The city is also interested in wastewater treatment, renewable energy and green energy which are Switzerland's strengths; therefore, chairman Phong also asked the ambassador to support the re-signing the Memorandum of Understand (MOU) between Ho Chi Minh City and Geneva City in the coming time.
Vietnam and Switzerland will celebrate the 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2021 which is considered as an important milestone in the two countries’ diplomatic relations, and the two sides also need to coordinate to organize the event.
The city leader believed that the ambassador would contribute in enhancing the good cooperation relationship between the two countries in general, between Ho Chi Minh City and Switzerland in particular during the working term.
Ambassador Ivo Sieber showed his impression of Vietnam’s measures against the Covid-19 pandemic and thanked the great assistance from Ho Chi Minh City leaders for foreign citizens, including Swiss during the Covid-19 outbreak period.
Regarding the cooperation between Switzerland and HCMC, the Swiss ambassador appreciated huge cooperation potentials between the two sides.
About re-signing the MOU between Ho Chi Minh City and Geneva, the ambassador pledged to support the partner and hoped that the city would create condition as well as coordinate the celebration of the 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam - Switzerland.
On the same day, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong received British Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward on the occasion of his visit to the country.
At the meeting, the city leader hoped that HCMC would become an attractive investment destination and willingly create favorable conditions for foreign investors, including British enterprises thanks to effective anti-pandemic activities.
On this occasion, the British ambassador thanked the city’s support for protecting health of the British citizens in the Covid-19 period.
The British government and media are impressed by the quality of medical services of Vietnam with the effective treatment for patient No.91, a British pilot.
In coming time, the UK government will continue cooperating with Vietnam in development of the health sector. Additionally, it will actively participate in projects of building smart city, developing traffic system and solving flooding in Ho Chi Minh City.
