Hanoi (VNA) – Expanding externalrelations has helped many localities across the country mobilise resources andassistance for their development.

So far, localities nationwide have signed 232international agreements and mobilised over 270 million USD worth of foreignnon-governmental aid.

The southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City,for example, has expanded international friendship and cooperation with 11agreements signed in 2019, raising the total number of foreign localitieshaving cooperative ties with the city to 53, according to Director of themunicipal Department of External Relations Le Quang Long.

In the year, the city attracted 8 billion USD inforeign direct investment (FDI), he added.

Meanwhile, the central coastal city of Da Nanglured over 3.5 billion USD in FDI over the past 20 years and had relations withover 20 countries and territories worldwide.

The city has carried out a number of effectivecooperation programmes with Lao partners as well as signed memoranda ofunderstanding (MoU) on friendship and cooperation with five south-centralprovinces of Laos, namely Attapeu, Sekong, Salavan, Champasak and Savannakhet.

It also inked MoUs to set up officialrelations with four Japanese cities: Kawasaki, Sakai, Yokohama and Kisarazu.

Additionally, more than 190 Japanese investedprojects worth about 900 million USD are operating in Da Nang, focusing on thefields of processing, electronics, education, and tourism.

The northern province of Yen Bai has maintaineda partnership with France’s Val-de-Marne province for 18 years.

Director of the provincial Department ofExternal Relations Nguyen Tien Dung said the two localities have enjoyed soundcooperation in culture, health care, agriculture, rural development, cleanwater and environmental hygiene. 

The two sides also shared experience and skillsfor specialised agencies and local authorities to carry out joint projectsworth tens of billions of VND, he added.

Remi Lambert from the French Embassy in Vietnamsaid over 240 French projects have been carried out in Vietnam in urbanplanning, health care, culture, Francophone, clean water and hygiene, ruraldevelopment, heritage, environment, education, research, training, and economicexchanges. 

These projects play crucial role in Vietnam’s socio-economicdevelopment and the establishment of partnerships between French and Vietnameselocalities with similar conditions, such as Ile-de-France region and Hanoi,Grand Lyon region and Ho Chi Minh City, and Brest and Hai Phong city.

To promote investment and cooperation inculture, education, and tourism, the northeastern province of Quang Ninh hasset up partnerships and cooperation with multiple foreign localities such asLuang Prabang, Saynhabuly, Houaphan (Laos), Shizuoka (Japan), Gangwon and Jeju(the Republic of Korea), San Diego and San Francisco (the US).

Currently, Quang Ninh has 105 valid FDI projectsfrom 20 countries and territories with total registered investment of 5.1billion USD, mainly in industry, tourism, and agro-forestry-fishery.

The aforesaid outcomes were attributable to the Vietnamese Partyand State’s promotion of a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance,multilateralisation, and diversification of external relations, as well asactive integration into the international community and promoting the role andstrength of localities.

Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed that the ForeignMinistry and all Vietnamese representative agencies abroad are ready to workwith localities in expanding external relations. They are also willing to helpwith promoting investment and trade in foreign countries, connecting with andappraising potential foreign partners and handling trade disputes./.