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| Phan Van Mai, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, receives the Dutch business delegation led by Mr. Kees van Baar, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Vietnam. (Photo: VNA) |
Ho Chi Minh City also needs to improve the investment environment, develop transport infrastructure, strengthen traffic connections and trade promotion activities; step up the fight against climate change, and improve the quality of the urban living environment.
This was part of Dutch businesses’ concerns and comments at the meeting between the city’s leaders and Dutch businesses chaired by Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai on February 28.
Mr. Phuc Nguyen, Chairman of the Dutch Business Association, said that Ho Chi Minh City needs to accelerate administrative procedure reform, enhance public application, contribute to quick procedures, increase transparency, and create conditions for many Dutch investors to come to the city.
According to Mr. Kees van Baar, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City has geographical and climatic characteristics corresponding to many regions of the Netherlands and is strongly affected by climate change. This is also the strength of Dutch businesses and investors who have spent many years researching, working, and drawing experiences from these fields.
In addition to solving challenges from climate change, creating solutions to combat flooding, environmental and wastewater treatment, Dutch enterprises also have the strength of high technology; digital transformation of the logistics industry; transportation infrastructure, green energy development, and renewable energy.
Listening to the opinions and recommendations of Dutch businesses, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai highly appreciated the strengths of Dutch enterprises; adding that this is the current trend and demand of foreign investors, including Dutch investors.
He also answered questions from Dutch businesses, informed about new processes and improvements in the implementation of administrative procedure reform; progress and plan of construction, completion and expansion of expressways and intersections in the city; with urban railway lines expected to be completed by 2035.
Noting that Ho Chi Minh City focuses on developing green economy, circular economy, digital transformation and logistics, he confirmed that there remains large space for digital transformation cooperation with Dutch businesses.
“Ho Chi Minh City always welcomes investors, and aims to become the center of economy, services, logistics, digital transformation and innovation,” he added.
The meeting took place at a special time, when Vietnam and the Netherlands celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. The Netherlands is not only an important partner of the city in response to climate change, but also a leading trade and investment partner of the city in Europe.
In 2022, two-way trade turnover between Ho Chi Minh City and the Netherlands reached USD1.6 billion. The Netherlands is the 5th largest investor in the city with 183 projects, with a total investment capital of more than USD5 billion./.