Shanghai urged to help promote trade relations

HA NOI — China's most densely populated city, Shanghai, has been asked to help promote the economic-trade relationship between Viet Nam and China.

Shanghai had been in co-operation with Viet Nam's main commercial hub, HCM City, and their ties had yielded fruitful achievements, said Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Chairman of the Government Office, yesterday during his visit to attend the closing ceremony of the Shanghai Expo 2010.

Phuc asked the city to expand co-operation while setting up ties with other big cities in Viet Nam in the fields of investment and tourism.

Shanghai's co-operation with Vietnamese cities would help improve two-way trade, said Phuc. The Vietnamese minister also asked Shanghai to further boost its co-operation in human resources training with Viet Nam and encourage its firms and businesses to increase their investment in infrastructure projects, especially in areas with high potential.

The Shanghai People's Political Consultative Conference Chairman, Feng Guoqin, confirmed he would task authorised bodies to collaborate with relevant Vietnamese ministries, sectors and localities to implement Phuc's proposals. He noted that the co-operation would further improve the comprehensive and strategic partnership between Viet Nam and China.

Co-operation pacts with French region negotiated

HA NOI — Ha Noi and the French region of Ile de France have signed a number of co-operative agreements for the 2011-15 period, covering urban-regional planning, public transport, water supply and waste treatment.

The agreements also aim to step up bilateral co-operation in other fields such as tourism, preservation of cultural heritage, socio-economic development and vocational training.

These deals were signed in Ha Noi yesterday, following talks between Ha Noi People's Committee Chairman Nguyen The Thao and President of the Regional Council of Ile de France Jean-Paul Huchon.

Thao said Ha Noi would deploy the co-operation agreements on regional and urban planning immediately after the city's construction master plan is approved by the Government.

The mayor also promised to support and create favourable conditions for businesses from France, and Ile de France in particular, to invest in public transport, socio-economic development and heritage preservation projects.

Huchon affirmed the administration of Ile de France considered co-operative ties with Ha Noi a typical, practical and effective model. — VNS