Hanoi boosts multi-faceted co-operation with Paris

A Hanoi delegation led by Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung visited France’s capital city of Paris from August 25-27, seeking ways to boost bilateral ties in health care, investment and environment.

Chairman of the Hanoi municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung (second, right) talks to doctors at Necker paediatric sanatorium (Photo: VNA)
Chairman of the Hanoi municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung (second, right) talks to doctors at Necker paediatric sanatorium (Photo: VNA)

They visited major Paris-based hospitals such as Necker paediatric hospital, Pitié - Salpêtrière Hospital and Corentin-Celton Hospital. The two sides agreed on co-operation in personnel training and telemedicine system building.

The Hanoi delegation also had a working session with the Paris public hospitals group AP-HP, which comprises 39 hospitals and cooperates with seven universities.

At the meeting, Chung highly valued the development and quality of healthcare services in France, adding that Hanoi plans to build new specialised hospitals, including a cardiovascular hospital, a paediatric hospital and two establishments of the Saint-Paul General Hospital.

He asked the French side to help his city provide intensive training for medical staff, develop family medicine and telemedicine systems, and upgrade Hanoi’s emergency aid network to meet the European standards. He also suggested connecting the two cities’ hospitals and research centres.

AP-HP Director Martin Hirsch expressed the readiness to collaborate with Hanoi in the proposed areas so as to develop medical services in the Vietnamese capital city.

To promote investment in Hanoi’s development projects, the municipal officials met representatives of big French businesses such as construction group Bouygues Bâtiment International and advertising firm JCDecaux.

Daniel Rigout, CEO of Bouygues Bâtiment International, said his firm is capable of satisfying Hanoi’s demand for development investment. It is willing to contribute to the city’s development and practically benefit local residents through construction projects.

Meanwhile, Jean-Charles Decaux, Co-CEO of JCDecaux, highlighted potential for developing the firm’s famous products in Hanoi such as bus shelters, public bicycle service and electronic information systems.

Chairman Chung welcomed the co-operation proposals and pledged to create favourable conditions for French companies to invest in Hanoi.

At a meeting with the air quality monitoring network AirParif on August 25, the two sides discussed co-operation in monitoring system installment and operation, personnel training, and technical assistance in data analysis.

The Hanoi People’s Committee and AirParif are expected to sign a contract on the issue during the French president’s official visit to Vietnam this September.