50th anniversary of Vietnam-Italy diplomatic ties marked in HCM City

At the event, Phan Van Mai, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, emphasised that Vietnam-Italy relations have witnessed both positive and comprehensive developments across multiple fields over the past 50 years, both bilaterally and multilaterally, adding that the time-honoured friendship continues to be consolidated.

Most notably, the Vietnamese Government presented Italy with more than 300,000 masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, while Italy provided the country with over 2.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

Specifically, the relationship between Ho Chi Minh City and Italy has recorded major achievements in terms of the fields of trade, investment, education - training, culture, and tourism.

Mai said the that the total two-way trade turnover last year reached US$591 million, adding that Italy has 64 projects throughout the southern city with a total capital of US$85 million as of February 20, thereby ranking 26 out of 117 countries and territories investing in the area.

With regard to future co-operation prospects, Ho Chi Minh City represents a gateway for Italian businesses to gain access to the ASEAN market and other markets through free trade agreements, while Italy is also a member of the group of the G7. In addition, the southern city can be an important sea gateway to bring Vietnamese goods to Europe.

Ho Chi Minh City’s economic recovery, a young population in Asia, and a growing middle class are anticipated to open up future prospects for Italian goods to penetrate the potential market, Mai added. 

Mai revealed that the Italian economy is moving towards the application of advanced, green, and clean technologies that are environmentally friendly.

This is also the direction being taken by the Vietnamese city's economy, Mai said, noting that the conformity in economic development orientations provides an important premise in which to achieve the goal of two-way trade turnover growing to US$6 billion last year, with this figure likely to reach US$10 billion in the future.

For his part, Enrico Padula, consul general of the Italian Republic in Ho Chi Minh City, stressed that the country has gradually changed from a place devastated by war into a beautiful country with spectacular landscapes, hospitable people, a vibrant economy, and a fascinating culture.

He stressed that Italy can provide a range of cutting-edge technologies and expertise to help the Vietnamese side to fulfil ambitious projects towards the green economy.

Simultaneously, linkages in the spheres of culture and education have always played an important role between the two countries, particularly as an increasing number of Vietnamese students choose Italian universities for their higher education, said the Italian diplomat. 

The southern European country has been active in heritage conservation projects in central Vietnam, Padula said, noting that with its heritage management experience, Italy is ready to support Vietnam in this field. 

To mark the 50th anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the French naval ship Francesco Morosini is scheduled to dock at Nha Rong Harbor in May for the first time in 20 years.