British firms want to expand operations in HCM City

Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan hosted a reception on September 19 for UK Ambassador to Vietnam Giles Lever, who noted that British firms intend to expand their operations in the city.

Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan (R) receives British Ambassador Giles Lever on September 19 (Photo: hcmcpv.org.vn)

Politburo member Nguyen Thien Nhan appreciated the ambassador’s contributions to UK-Vietnam ties, including the relations between the UK and Ho Chi Minh City.

The UK is one of the largest investment and trade partners of the southern city of Vietnam, he noted, explaining that bilateral trade exceeded US$ 800 million in 2016. The country also ranks 12th among foreign investors in Ho Chi Minh City.

He expressed his hope that Lever would continue to promote Ho Chi Minh City-UK cooperation programmes, including a public-private partnership to build an on-demand examination and treatment section at Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital.

The official also called for British investment in fields that Ho Chi Minh City is focusing on, such as education, trade, the construction of the city’s financial centre, and smart city development.

For his part, Ambassador Lever voiced his delight at the growth in cooperation between the UK and Vietnam.

Highlighting Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam’s attractiveness to British investors, he said that the British Business Group Vietnam is developing and wants to expand in the city, particularly in infrastructure development, banking and services.

He noted his country’s readiness to support Ho Chi Minh City in developing a smart city and pushing ahead with cooperation projects. The UK also attaches importance to bilateral cooperation in education-training, investment and trade.

(Source: NDO)