Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan had a meeting with visiting French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on November 4.
The municipal leader spoke highly of the French Government’s priorities in development cooperation with the city over the past time, saying that HCM City boasts a long history of cultural exchange with France, with works bearing French architecture such as the Opera House and the Notre Dame Cathedral, is also one of the Vietnamese localities with a large number of French speaking people.
He underlined that HCM City has carried out the highest number of projects with France, including the French University Centre (PUF) under the Vietnam National University-HCM City, the Vietnamese-French Training Programme of Excellent Engineers (PFIEV) under the HCM City University of Technology, Marguerite Duras International School, and the Vietnam-France medical centre, among others.
In addition, HCM City and France’s Lyon city inked a cooperation agreement for 2018-2020, focusing on urban development, lighting, human resources training in urban management for HCM City, he added.
Nhan said that the city welcomes French investment in construction of smart city, innovative startup, high technology, human resources training for the fourth Industry Revolution, climate change and waste treatment.
HCM City wants to bolster cooperation with French experts to carry out plans to preserve local standout cultural and historic relic sites and architectures, he stressed.
PM Edouard Philippe highly valued effective cooperation between HCM City and France in various realms like economy, health care, culture and education.
The guest noted his hope that the city’s leaders will continue to support France in implementing the French house project and another project on expanding the Marguerite Duras International School.
The French Government wants to expand and develop cooperation between HCM City and French localities, he said.
While in HCM City, the French PM attended ceremonies to inaugurate the French medical centre and open the France-Vietnam technological business forum.