(VOVworld) - Ho Chi Minh City always considers the European Union (EU) its top partner, said Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem. Meeting with representatives from the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) on Tuesday, Liem said the local authorities are working to create optimal conditions for the foreign business community, including European companies, to operate in HCMC.

The meeting. Photo: Hoang Hai/VNA

Chairwoman of EuroCham Nicola Connolly described the meeting as an opportunity for European enterprises to ask for more assistance from the city government to support their operation there. She said the event provided the European business community with updated information on HCMC’s economic and socio-cultural policies, to help them seek future investment and business opportunities in the city and in Vietnam in general.

As of October, the EU had begun 656 investment projects worth 4.3 billion USD in Ho Chi Minh City. Two-way trade hit around 6 billion USD last year and is expected to continue increasing.