NA Vice Chairman Man visits Barcelona
VOV.VN -Permanent Vice Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Tran Thanh Man visited the port city of Barcelona on March 17 as part of activities taking place during his four-day working visit to Spain.
Felip Roca Blasco, general secretary of Metropolis, highlighted the visit as an important event for the Spanish city, especially amid its policy of developing relations with Asian countries.
As an open and dynamic city, Barcelona is keen to seek co-operation opportunities with Vietnamese localities, particularly Ho Chi Minh City, he emphazised.
Blasco also used the occasion to invite Vietnamese cities to attend exhibitions held in Barcelona, including the 2023 Smart City Expo World Congress which is slated for November.
NA Vice Chairman Man reiterated that the Vietnamese side will always be open and create a favourable investment environment for foreign businesses, including those from Spain.
Many businessmen based in Ho Chi Minh City hope to explore investment opportunities in Barcelona, he said, proposing the general secretary and other city leaders contribute to promoting trade relations between the two cities, as well as strengthening the joint strategic partnership in general.
Meeting Pau Guardans Cambo, honorary consul of Vietnam in Barcelona, the Vietnamese legislator expressed his confidence that with his reputation and experience, the honorary consul with help to boost ties between the two countries and their localities across multiple fields. Indeed, this will be done along with protecting the rights and interests of the State and citizens of Vietnam.
Cambo affirmed that he will help to boost linkages in economics, trade, investment, culture, education, and tourism between Barcelona and the Catalonia region with Vietnam, thereby contributing to the development of the strategic partnership moving forward.
NA Vice Chairman Man also visited the Port of Barcelona which has relations with Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Vung Tau, and Quy Nhon ports.
Statistics from the Port Management Board indicate that in 2022 freight trading between Vietnam and Spain through the port reached 610,321 tonnes, up 25.6% on-year. The volume of Vietnamese containers transshipped through this port also soared by 26.9% to a total of 48,423 units.
The Vietnamese NA Vice Chairman therefore suggested that both sides boost ties in shipping and tourism, as there remains great potential for bilateral collaboration in these areas.
He departed for Hanoi on March 18, concluding his working visit to Spain.