Hanoi steps up co-operation with Washington D.C.
VOV.VN - A delegation from Hanoi led by Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, vice secretary of the municipal Party Committee and Chairman of the People’s Council, held a working session on August 16 with the administration of Washington D.C in the United States.
The working visit made by the Hanoi delegation took place amid both sides celebrating the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive partnership.
Hanoi and Washington D.C., which both represent political and administrative centres, will make important contributions to strengthening ties and friendship between the two countries, the municipal leader said.
The two administrations must therefore carry out more external activities; intensify contacts and delegation exchange; whilst strengthening investment, trade, and tourism promotion activities along with cross-cultural and people-to-people exchanges. This includes organizing the art programme “Hanoi Days in Washington D.C, Tuan went on to say.
In response, Kimberly Bassett, secretary of state of the District of Columbia, proposed continuing to ramp up linkages between the two capitals, along with conducting negotiations aimed at signing a memorandum of co-operation in the near future.
The two administrations must therefore set up a communication channel and assign agencies for foreign affairs in order to exchange, agree, and make proposals on the early signing of a MoU on co-operation.
The Washington D.C. administration will create all conditions for Hanoi businesses seeking to carry out trade promotion, import, and export activities, as well as incentivizing US businesses to invest in the Vietnamese capital, she added.
At the meeting, the two sides also briefed each other on the socio-economic situation of the two cities over recent years, experience sharing in the organization of government apparatus, the supervision mechanism for State agencies’ activities, and the decentralization of socio-economic management. This is along with focusing on issues such as urban infrastructure planning and management, the environment, smart city building, tourism development, and social security policies.
During the course of the working visit, the Hanoi delegation also worked alongside officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in the US. In line with this, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung highly appreciated the purpose and significance of the Hanoi delegation's business trip.
Tuan participants about the results of the working sessions in the US and the proposals made by the Washington D.C administration on negotiating and signing a memorandum of understanding on co-operation with Hanoi.
He also informed the socio-economic situation of the capital over recent years and the fields Hanoi is calling for investment co-operation.
The Hanoi leader commented on the development of mutual relations over recent times, especially amid the two countries celebrating the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive partnership which started back in 2013. This will contribute to opening up numerous opportunities for stronger comprehensive co-operation in the coming time, especially in the fields of investment, trade, tourism, imports and exports, urban development, transportation, and the environment.
He also suggested that Hanoi research and implement co-operation activities, in addition to cultural and people-to-people exchanges between Hanoi and US cities.
On behalf of municipal leaders, Tuan suggested that the Vietnamese Embassy in the US continue to pay attention to and co-ordinate in promoting the image of Hanoi with international friends, enhancing friendly relations between Hanoi and localities, while helping the capital to strengthen investment promotion, exchanges, and co-operation across a variety of fields.
