Ho Chi Minh City signs 'twinning' memorandum with New York

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh witnessed the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding establishing a sister city relationship between Ho Chi Minh City and New York City - Photo: Contributor

On behalf of the Ho Chi Minh City government, Chairman of the City People's Committee - Mr. Phan Van Mai - signed with New York Mayor Eric Adams a memorandum of understanding (MOU) establishing a sister city relationship between the two cities.

Speaking to Tuoi Tre Online , Mr. Phan Van Mai said that the signing of the MOU this time during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's working trip "has great significance for both cities".

Ho Chi Minh City continues to lead

The move comes less than two weeks after the two countries upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

"This is not only symbolic but also demonstrates a strong commitment to promoting comprehensive, substantive and effective cooperation between the two countries at all levels," Mr. Mai shared.

Ho Chi Minh City is once again the first locality to establish a sister city relationship with a locality in the US in the context of the two countries making strong progress in relations. The previous one was with San Francisco in 1995, when the two countries normalized relations.

"I hope the sisterhood relationship will be a solid and favorable foundation for bilateral cooperation programs between Ho Chi Minh City and New York City within the framework of the new relationship," Mr. Mai expressed.

The Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee said the two cities have many similarities and great potential to promote cooperation.

Both have special roles for the two countries. New York, with a population of about 9 million people (approximately the same as Ho Chi Minh City), is an important financial - commercial - cultural center of the US and the world .

Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City is the economic locomotive, the economic - cultural - scientific and technical center of Vietnam.

The city is also gradually becoming a regional and international city. This is an important premise and the first step for the two sides to come closer and go together.

On the other hand, according to Mr. Mai, as large cities, both Ho Chi Minh City and New York face challenges in urban and environmental management.

"This is the basis for the two cities to implement cooperation programs for mutual development and share experiences in urban management, renovation and development," Mr. Mai explained.

Support the goal of "Ho Chi Minh City Financial Center" at the regional level

On the basis of this twinning relationship, the Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee hopes that the two cities will focus on promoting experience exchange and cooperation in the fields of economics, finance, culture, environment (especially related to climate change), science - technology, innovation and education.

"In the immediate future, I propose focusing on promoting cooperation in training high-quality human resources, cooperation in science and technology, forming an innovation center, and an international financial center in Ho Chi Minh City to lay the foundation for a framework of extensive cooperation between the two cities and the two countries," Mr. Mai added.

In addition to government-level connections, establishing a sister city relationship between the two cities will open up space for businesses from both sides to connect, enhance cooperation, and expand markets.

The twinning relationship between Ho Chi Minh City and New York City will bring many benefits to both, supporting Ho Chi Minh City in realizing its goal of becoming a regional and international financial center.

Specifically, according to Mr. Mai, the city will promote and implement learning activities and exchange experiences in building a legal framework, managing and operating the New York financial center. The two sides will actively exchange and share experiences in new contents such as green finance and cyber security.

Ho Chi Minh City can also attract investment from New York companies and investors, helping to develop a financial center in the city. The twinning will also create conditions for city businesses to access capital from New York City investment funds and investment banks.

In addition, the twinning will create opportunities to connect the business communities of the two countries, creating opportunities for economic, investment, and trade cooperation.

"Through cooperation activities in education, culture and people-to-people exchange, I also believe that people of the two cities will have more and more opportunities to meet, enhance bilateral understanding, cultivate knowledge and build trust for peace, cooperation and development," Mr. Mai expressed.

Ho Chi Minh City currently has friendly and cooperative relations with more than 50 localities in the world, spanning all 5 continents. These sister localities are both resources and motivations to help the city develop and reach out to the world.

Source TTO

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