Tuesday, 19/03/2019 16:40 (GMT+7)
Ho Chi Minh city and Ireland hold great potential for cooperation, especially in areas that Ireland are strong in and the Vietnamese city is in need of, including healthcare and education.
Ho Chi Minh city People’s Committee Standing Vice Chairman Le Thanh Liem presents a gift to Mr. Patrick O’Donovan. (Photo: thanhuytphcm.vn)
So said Standing Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh city People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem during his reception for Patrick O’Donovan, Ireland’s Minister of State at the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, on March 18
th on his working visit to Vietnam.
According to Mr. Liem, the relationship between Ireland and Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh city, is developing well. “Vietnam and the EU are looking towards signing the free trade agreement, which will boost the bilateral relationship, especially in trade and investment,” he said.
He expressed his hope that Mr. Patrick O’Donovan will call on Irish healthcare businesses and groups to study investment and cooperation in Ho Chi Minh city; support in linking Irish universities and the Vietnamese city’s ones; and encourage prestigious Irish companies to work with the city in building the e-authority.
Confirming that his visit aimed to discuss cooperation opportunities between Ireland and Vietnam in general and Ho Chi Minh city in particular, Mr. Patrick O’Donovan said that over the past time, Ireland and Vietnam had seen strong development in agricultural and educational cooperation. “The cooperation will be huge when the free trade agreement between Vietnam and EU is signed,” he said, adding that as Ho Chi Minh city has great potential in bilateral cooperation, the Irish trade cooperation promotion agency will open its office in the city.
Considering Vietnam a gateway to trade with Southeast Asian nations, Ireland hopes to be considered a trade partner of Vietnam./.
Compiled by BTA