Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong (L) greets guests at the New Year gathering with foreignrepresentative agencies on January 15

The event was attended by Politburo member and Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan, heads of countries’ consulates and their spouses, along with representatives of the offices of international organisations, foreign economic-trade-cultural offices, business associations and non-governmental organisations.

In his speech, Chairman of the People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong attributed local socio-economic achievements in 2019 partly to the support by foreign businesses, organisations, friends and partners.

Mentioning the city’s development directions, he said HCM City will promote cooperation with localities of the countries having important partnerships with Vietnam. Its cooperation agreements will be realised through concrete programmes so as to meet the common interests of the city and foreign localities.

Phong thanked foreign consulates, organisations, businesses and friends for their substantial contributions to HCM City’s friendship and cooperation with foreign partners, expressing his hope that they will continue helping with the city’s externalrelations in the coming time.

Hungarian Consul General to HCM City Baloghdi Tibor, who is also head of consular corps here, congratulated the city on its attainments last year, noting that it is now a dynamic city with the focus on investment and trade.

He said he and his colleagues in consular corps will maintain core activities and relations. They wish to join municipal leaders in implementing projects that apply smart and high technologies so as to create a more attractive economic environment to stimulate growth and investment.

They will also stay attached to and support the municipal administration on the path of boosting the city’s prosperous development, the diplomat added. VOV