Finland, HCM City boost cooperation
(VOV) - The Finnish business community is willing to assist Vietnam cope with the challenges posed by the migration of the nation’s people from rural to urban areas, said Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs Jan Vapaavouri.
Minister Vapaavouri made the statement on October 21 at a reception in Hanoi where representatives of the business communities of Finland and Vietnam met to discuss cooperation opportunities.
Speaking at the event, Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee Chairman Le Hoang Quan said it has opened up a host of mutually beneficial opportunities for the city and Finland.
”HCM City is a major metropolitan area which has great potential for cooperation with Finland in fields such as smart technology, safe water, transport, environmental sanitation, education and training,” Chairman Quan said.
Quan also said the city has called for expanded foreign investment in infrastructure projects, especially in the fields of urban transport and environmental sanitation, adding that local authorities are willing to create the best conditions for Finnish enterprises.
For his part, the Finnish Minister stated both nations have made great strides in increasing development aid cooperation for mutual benefit in recent times.
However, the two-way trade volume between the two nations remains relatively modest and there are many bright spots on the horizon for heightened investment and trade, he said.