Rome (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador to ItalyDuong Hai Hung has visited Italy’s Campania region and its capital city of Naples,aiming to promote Vietnam’s comprehensive cooperation with the Italianlocalities.

At his meetings with Campania President Vincenzo De Luca, NaplesMayor Gaetano Manfredi and Prefect of Naples Michele di Bari, Hung briefed thehost on major cooperation activities of the embassy and Italian partners inNaples.

He held that the two sides should further promote their comprehensivecollaboration not only in politics but economy and especiallyculture.

Leaders of Campania and Naples welcomed and showed supportto Vietnam’s cooperation proposals, affirming that Vietnam is a prioritisedpartner in its internationalisation scheme of the locality. They pledged to provide optimal conditions for local firms to explore the Vietnamese market, especiallyin the fields of aquaculture and culture, as well as mechanical manufacturing,space industry, supporting technology, food processing, and marine economiccooperation.

Manfredi spoke highly of cooperation outcomes between thetwo sides across all fields, affirming that he will support the promotion ofVietnamese image through the city's public means, while coordinating with theVietnamese side to organise film screenings and exhibitions about Vietnam, as wellas promoting delegation exchanges and seeking cooperation opportunities withlocalities of Vietnam.

At a Vietnam-Naples forum on economic and cultural connectivityheld in Naples on January 30, Ambassador Hung said that Naples and Campania areimportant economic drivers of the Italian southern region with strengths inagriculture, pharmaceuticals and tourism, which can support Vietnam during thecountry’s industrialisation and modernisation process.

Naples Deputy Mayor Laura Lieto and Regional Minister for Startups, Innovation,Internationalisation of Campania Valeria Fascione highlighted the role of cultureas a premise for international cooperation.

Campania, owning a large number of UNESCO-recognised worldcultural heritages, hopes to cooperate with Vietnam in heritage conservation,land and water resources management, they said.

He welcomed enterprises of Naples and Campania to strengthen exchanges andpartnership with their Vietnamese peers through the exchange of delegations andthe joining of conferences and trade fairs in Vietnam as well as activitiesheld by the embassy in Italy.

During his trip from January 29-30, Ambassador Hung had aworking session with Prof. Roberto Tottoli, Principal of the University ofNaples "L'Orientale on specific cooperation activities such as the openingof a Vietnamese faculty in the university as well as the exchange of students andresearch cooperation with Vietnamese universities and research institutions./.