Ho Chi Minh City seeks to promote cooperation with UK in education, healthcare and finance

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai presents the Ho Chi Minh City Badge to the British Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: hcmcpv.org.vn)

He made these remarks during a farewell meeting with Ms. Emily Hamblin, the British Consul General to Ho Chi Minh City, on July 2, as she concluded her term.

During the meeting, Chairman Phan Van Mai congratulated Ms. Emily Hamblin on her successful tenure and thanked her for her valuable contributions not only to Ho Chi Minh City but also to the relationship between the two countries. He also expressed deep gratitude to the UK and the Consulate for their support during the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that Ho Chi Minh City is actively working with relevant ministries to present a legal framework for the International Financial Center to the National Assembly by the end of the year, which is expected to attract many businesses and investors from the UK.

Mr. Mai showed his hope that the two sides would cooperate in building an Innovation Center in the healthcare sector and expressed his desire for a prestigious British university to establish a presence in Ho Chi Minh City in the near future.

Ms. Emily Hamblin shared her achievements during her four years in Ho Chi Minh City, including the efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic when the two countries supported each other through the crisis. In the post-COVID period, several British ministers of state visited Ho Chi Minh City, and diverse trade and free trade agreements were signed, and 10 British business delegations visited the city across various sectors, demonstrating the increasingly close relationship between the two sides.

The British Consul General also highlighted that finance, healthcare and education were the top three priorities for the UK and Ho Chi Minh City last year, with ongoing research and project implementation. Additionally, she noted that there are many other areas for potential cooperation, such as technology and infrastructure, and expressed her desire to continue to vigorously promote these fields in the future.

On this occasion, Chairman Phan Van Mai presented the Ho Chi Minh City Badge to Ms. Emily Hamblin to acknowledge her contributions during her tenure. He expressed his hope that in her future roles, she would continue to support and promote the relationship between the two countries./.