Vietnam, Hong Kong foster collaboration

Vietnamese Consul General to Hong Kong Pham Binh Dam on April 29 was received by Chief Executive of Hong Kong Carrie Lam, as he began his tenure in the Chinese special administrative region.

Vietnamese Consul General to Hong Kong Pham Binh Dam (L) and Chief Executive of Hong Kong Carrie Lam at the reception

At the reception, the host said as Hong Kong has recovered its stability, the region’s relations with Vietnam are seeing more room for stronger development in trade, investment, tourism, and yacht industry.

In 2020, trade between the two economies reached over 24 billion USD, with Vietnam being the third biggest trade partner of Hong Kong in ASEAN.

Lauding Vietnam’s effective COVID-19 prevention and control, Lam said it is time for Vietnam and Hong Kong to seriously consider establishing a bilateral travel mechanism.

Informing her guest on Hong Kong’s quarantine-free travel bubble with Singapore, she expressed her hope for negotiations between Hong Kong and Vietnam to take place so that the two can set up a similar mechanism in line with their conditions and situations. She believed it will help their residents travel easier.

For his part, Dam praised Lam’s leadership role toward developing Hong Kong into a prosperous city and an important international financial hub as well as her success in restoring the local social order and controlling the pandemic in the past year.

Speaking highly of the leader’s determination and commitment to establishing a travel corridor with Vietnam, Dam stated although thorough consideration is needed, it is a suitable time for seeking measures to ease cross-border travel restrictions, facilitating businesses and bilateral exchanges.

The diplomat took the occasion to thank the Hong Kong administration for relaxing regulations on granting student visa to Vietnam as well as committing to making similar relaxation regarding other types of visa.

He said he believes under Lam’s leadership, Hong Kong’s multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam will reap more fruitful outcomes in the time to come./.

VNA