Virginia enhances ties with Vietnamese localities

He made the statement at his reception on July 11 for a visiting delegation of leaders of Vietnamese localities, including Hanoi, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Dong Nai, Long An, Quang Tri and Thai Nguyen, led by Chairman of the Hanoi municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung.

Governor McAuliffe and Vietnamese localities’ leaders then took part in a seminar entitled “Virginia-Vietnam connectivity”, which was attended by Virginia’s Commerce Secretary, and mayors of Fairfax, Arlington and Loudoun counties and representatives from more than 100 enterprises from the state and its surrounding areas and some 50 Vietnamese businesses.

Leaders of the six Vietnamese localities introduced their strengths and priorities in cooperation with the US and Virginia.

After the seminar, a cooperation agreement between Virginia and Vietnamese partners was signed, witnessed by Governor McAuliffe and Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Pham Quang Vinh.

This is the first deal between a US State and a group of Vietnamese localities, aiming to expand bilateral relations, especially in trade and investment, helping to boost the two countries’ economic growth and enhance their partnership, with a focus on infrastructure construction, maritime transportation, pharmaceuticals, information technology, agriculture, energy, manufacturing, tourism and education and training.

Speaking after the signing ceremony, Vinh said that the agreement was inked on the 22nd anniversary of the normalisation of Vietnam-US relations (July 11, 1995-July 11, 2017), reflecting the parties’ commitment to cooperation.

Virginia is home to more than 8 million people and its gross domestic product reached nearly US$500 billion last year.