Vietnamese ambassador received in Porto to promote cooperation

The meeting between the Mayor and the diplomat took place in order to deepen the relations between Portugal and Vietnam, as well as to promote greater cooperation between Porto and Ho Chi Minh.

The meeting, which was attended by the ambassador's commercial adviser, VU Anh Son, as well as the first secretary, LAI Thi Thanh Mai, responsible for relations between Portugal and Vietnam, and DANG Thi Hong Nhung, representing the Vietnamese community, and José Pedro Busano de Sousa Vieira, ended with the promise of a future visit by a delegation from Porto to that Southeast Asian country.

In the afternoon, Dinh Toan Thang met with the councillor responsible for Economy, Employment and Entrepreneurship. Ricardo Valente presented the diplomat with the work being carried out by InvestPorto, the municipal platform for attracting investment to the city, and both leaders had the opportunity to discuss the next steps in this close relationship between Portugal and Vietnam.

The ambassador highlighted the dynamism of the city of Porto and the importance of sharing experiences and economic ambitions in order to create opportunities for both countries, particularly in the areas of technology, tourism and sustainable development. Ricardo Valente showed availability for the creation of this "bridge" between Porto and Vietnamese cities such as Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, namely through initiatives in the area of higher education and entrepreneurship, highlighting that "a bridge is only useful if it is used" and creating this type of relationship is important for the economic and social development of both countries.

With dozens of years dedicated to Vietnamese international relations, and residing in France, Dinh Toan Thang also accumulates the posts of ambassador to Andorra, Monaco and the Central African Republic. He is also the representative of the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the International Organisation of La Francophonie.