Hanoi (VNA) – A high-level delegationfrom the capital city of Hanoi led by Vice Standing Secretary of the municipalParty Committee Ngo Thi Thanh Hang made a working trip to Finland, Sweden andAustria from May 31 to June 10.
In Finland, the delegation had working sessions with officials of Helsinki andthe southern Ostrobothnia region onpossibilities of cooperation between Hanoi and the localities.
Deputy Mayor of Helsinki city Sanna Vesikansahighlighted the positive development in Vietnam-Finland relations over the pasttime and potential for cooperation between Hanoi and Helsinki in the future.
Hang took this occasion to brief the hostabout the achievements that Hanoi has gained in recent years and reiterated thecity’s policy to boost friendship and win-win cooperation with localities andinternational partners in the world, including those from Finland.
She noted that Hanoi has granted investmentlicences to four investment projects from Finland with total registered capitalof 570,000 USD in information technology and commercial services.
Sanna Vesikansa expressed her willingness toshare experience with and assist Hanoi in ensuring social welfare and improvingpublic services.
The sound cooperation between the two capitalswill make significant contributions to the overall development of the twocountries, the two sides agreed.
Leaving Helsinki, the Hanoi delegation visitedthe southern Ostrobothnia region where they received warm welcome from regionalcouncil chairman Kai Potinen, regional governor Asko Peltola, and regionalpermanent deputy governor Antti Saartenoja.
At the meeting, the two sides reviewed theaccomplishments that they gained over the past 10 years since the signing ofthe bilateral cooperation agreement.
Despite geographical distance, Hanoi andsouthern Ostrobothnia have carried out a number of effective cooperationactivities, especially in the fields of culture-society, education-training andart exchanges.
Through the visit, the Hanoi delegation hopes tocontinuously increase cooperation and experience sharing with the Finnishregion, not only in cultural exchanges, labour and education-training but alsoin other realms such as social welfare, trade and investment promotion, tourism,smart city, green technology, energy, and e-government.
The guests also had a meeting with AnttiRantakokko, president of the Finnish association of municipal mayors.
In 2006, as the Mayor of Kauhajoki city, AnttiRantakokko implemented a labour cooperation project with the Vietnamesecapital, which brought 18 Hanoi workers to Finland.
The Hanoi delegation also visited somevocational training schools in Finland to seek stronger cooperation in education-training.
In Sweden, the Hanoi delegation had a workingsession with chairman of the council of Stockholm city Mats Berglund.
The host highlighted Stockholm’s strengths inpreserving and promoting cultural heritage values in association with tourism development,information technology, and environment.
He affirmed that Stockholm is ready to cooperatewith and support Hanoi in these fields.
Hang said Hanoi wants to boost friendlycooperation with Stockholm and learn experience in urban development, culturalheritage preservation, urban planning and acceleration of bilateral cooperationprojects.
She noted that Hanoi is home to 13 Swedishprojects worth 6 million USD in information technology, consultation,construction, processing and manufacturing industries, and trade services.-VNA