Hanoi studies Canada’s experiences in smart city development

The Hanoi officials had various activities in Ottawa to promote the friendship between the two capital cities in particular and Vietnam and Canada in general, including the sharing of working experiences of people-elected agencies, the organisational model of urban administration, investment promotion and public service supply.

While in Toronto city, they sought to step up bilateral cooperation in potential areas such as high-tech agriculture, financial investment, education-training, trade, services, renewable energy, urban infrastructure and tourism. 

The two sides also shared experiences in urban administration organisation and smart city development.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, who led the delegation, had a meeting with Allan O’Dette, Chief Investment Officer of Ontario province. 

Tuan told his host that Hanoi always wishes to enhance cooperation with Ontario, one of the biggest provinces of Canada, with substantial potential for development. 

The official expressed his hope that the two sides will deepen the bilateral collaboration practically and concretely on the basis of commitments made during the visit to Hanoi last year by Ontario Governor Kathleen Wynne, as well as demand and potential of both sides. 

Hanoi will create the best possible conditions for Canadian investors to run long-term, stable business in the city, he pledged. 

For his part, Allan noted his optimistic views on prospects to increase investment ties between the two sides from the present US$3 billion. 

Allan, who accompanied Governor Kathleen Wynne to Hanoi and Ho Chi Min last year, said that the exchange of delegations will create a foundation to beef up bilateral trade ties and cooperation in such major areas like infrastructure, IT, agriculture and production. 

Statistics show that in 2017, Hanoi attracted five Canadian foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, raising the accumulated FDI from the country to US$29.2 million. 

Export turnover between Hanoi and Canada in the first nine months of 2017 reached some US$267 million, nearly doubling the average of the previous years. 

Hanoi aims to attract more Canadian investments in development investment, health care, high-tech agriculture and finance-banking, while intensifying people-to-people and cultural exchanges and trade promotion.