HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City hopes that Bulgaria will create betterconditions for the city’s enterprises and goods to access the country’s market,said a local official.

NguyenThanh Phong, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, made the suggestion ata meeting with Bulgarian Minister of Economy Emil Karanikolov in the city onSeptember 20.

Phongdeclared that the city is willing to work a bridge connecting Bulgaria with theASEAN market and provide the European country with logistics services.

He affirmedthat HCM City always attaches much importance to fostering cooperation withBulgaria, adding that that the establishment of the Bulgarian Chamber ofCommerce and Industry in the city in 2013 showed the country’s interest indeveloping trade and investment partnership with HCM City.

Phongexpressed his belief that the visit of the Bulgarian Minister of Economy will helpreinforce the collaboration between Bulgaria and the city, while promotingeconomic ties between the two sides.

He said thecity welcomes Bulgarian firms to invest in the areas of its priority, includingfood processing and packaging, health care, pharmaceutical production, urbanplanning, renewable energy, and smart city building.

At the sametime, tourism, education, trade are also promising sectors for Bulgarianinvestors, Phong said.

For hispart, Karanikolov lauded socio-economic achievements of Vietnam over the pastyears.

He heldthat the bilateral economic and trade cooperation has yet to match potentialand aspirations of both sides.

Bulgaria iswilling to become one of the first European Union (EU) member countries toapprove the free trade agreement between the EU and Vietnam with the hope thatthe deal will bring about more favourable conditions and opportunities foreconomic-trade and investment activities between the two countries, he said.

Karanikolovsaid that his country hopes to further bolster collaboration among localities ofthe two nations, especially in economy, tourism and culture. He vowed thatBulgaria will give optimal conditions for Vietnamese investors, including thosefrom HCM City, to invest and do business in the country, while serving as agateway for Vietnamese goods to enter Europe.

Theminister also pledged to support Vietnamese investors in legal procedures inthe country and Europe, while encouraging Bulgarian firms to invest more in HCMCity.

Last year,trade between HCM City and Bulgaria reached 21.8 million USD. HCM City importedchemicals and pharmaceutical materials and products from Bulgaria.

Currently,Bulgaria is running two projects in the city with combined investment of about1 million USD.-VNA