The delegation of Tampere City’s officials, led by Deputy Mayor of Tampere, Jouni Markkanen, visited Ho Chi Minh City and was received by Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Bui Xuan Cuong.
At the meeting, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Bui Xuan Cuong emphasized that the signing of the MoU reflects the strong commitment of the Finnish government in general and the Tampere city authorities in particular to promoting cooperative relations with Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City.
Vice Chairman of the city, Bui Xuan Cuong, said that as of 2024, two-way trade between Ho Chi Minh City and Finland reached approximately US$20 million, with 24 investment projects totaling over US$27 million in capital. He acknowledged that these figures are still modest compared to the potential of cooperation between the two sides.
In 2023–2024, Ho Chi Minh City welcomed several delegations from Tampere and sent two official missions to Finland, focusing on areas such as education, trade, and innovation.
The city’s Vice Chairman Bui Xuan Cuong affirmed that Ho Chi Minh City regards Tampere as a model for urban development. As such, the city seeks stronger collaboration with international partners, including Tampere. He also emphasized the important role of the Vietnamese community in Finland as a bridge for enhancing bilateral cooperation, particularly in bringing people to Tampere for work and living.
According to Vice Chairman Bui Xuan Cuong, the newly signed MOU serves as a foundation for Ho Chi Minh City to strengthen its cooperation with Tampere. The agreement paves the way for the development of smart classrooms, international schools, expanded student exchange programs, enhanced educational and vocational training infrastructure, smart city building, and the digital economy.
Tampere Deputy Mayor Jouni Markkanen highly appreciated Ho Chi Minh City’s important role and position, along with the growing partnership between the two cities, particularly in the areas of sustainable development, innovation, and vocational training.
He emphasized that smart city development is a shared priority for both sides. The newly signed MOU will serve as a key framework for implementing concrete cooperation programs in the coming time, especially in support of Ho Chi Minh City’s goal of becoming a smart city by 2030.
Mr. Jouni Markkanen said that Tampere is one of the most populous cities in Northern Europe, with a population of around 410,000. Tampere is renowned for being the birthplace of new technologies, particularly the founding of Nokia Corporation. The city boasts a strong industrial base with key strengths in smart manufacturing, automation, and artificial intelligence. Currently, about 1,000 Vietnamese people reside in Tampere, serving as an important bridge for enhancing mutual understanding and cooperation between the two cities.
