Vice Chairman of HCM City People’s Committee Võ Văn Hoan had talks with Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Anh

HCM CITY — Vice Chairman of HCM City People’s Committee Võ Văn Hoan hosted a reception on Monday for Tanja Fajon, Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, who is on a working visit to the southern city.

Welcoming the Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister to HCM City for the first time, Hoan said that this is an important milestone in the bilateral relationship between Việt Nam and Slovenia in general, and cooperation between HCM City and the European nation in particular.

He reiterated that Việt Nam always attaches importance to its friendship with Slovenia, and HCM City always considers the country as a potential partner. Although trade and investment between the two sides are currently not commensurate with aspirations, they can develop strongly in the coming time if businesses make good use of advantages of the EU-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Hoan appreciated Slovenia's achievements in the Smart Specialisation Strategy and the Digital Slovenia Strategy along with progress in advanced digital technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI), and proposed that the two sides enhance cooperation in digital transformation, innovation, logistics and maritime transportation.

The city leader pledged to create all favourable conditions for foreign businesses, including those from Slovenia, adding that the city will do its utmost to improve its investment environment to welcome Slovenian investors.

Tanja Fajon affirmed that her visit is a good chance for the two sides to strengthen mutual understanding and promote cooperation between the two business communities.

Slovenia always opens its door to Vietnamese businesses; and she is willing to introduce Việt Nam's investment opportunities to the Slovenian business community, the deputy PM said.

Appreciating the development potential of HCM City, the Slovenian Deputy PM said that many large Slovenian enterprises accompanying her this time will find useful information about cooperation opportunities in the fields that both sides have advantages and needs such as seaport development, digital transformation, smart city building and tourism.

HCM City and Slovenia can also share experience in green growth issues, through diversifying energy sources, and reducing emissions towards the goal of sustainable development, she added. — VNS