The capitals of Vietnam and Denmark expressed hope to strengthen ties and facilitate the development of green cities at a meeting on June 8.

Hanoi's vice mayor Nguyen Trong Dong (right) meets Danish Ambassador to Vietnam Nicolai Prytz on June 8. Photo: Tu Anh/The Hanoi Times

Nicolai Prytz, Danish Ambassador to Vietnam, said he expected to discuss Hanoi's future directions and develop feasible, practical ways to strengthen cooperation between the two capitals.

Nicolai also pointed out the five key areas of cooperation between Vietnam and Denmark, including energy and environment, agriculture, healthcare, education, and statistics.

He said that good relations between the two nations are built upon the cooperation between Vietnamese and Danish localities, especially the two capitals.

Vietnam and Denmark are good partners, and the two nations look forward to strengthening their relations, especially as this year marks the 10th anniversary of the bilateral strategic partnership, the ambassador added.

He added that the two governments are in the process of ratifying the Green Strategic Partnership, while both have joined the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

For his part, Nguyen Trong Dong, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee, said that the ambassador's remarks are also Hanoi's major concerns.

With an area of 3,300 km2, a population of 10 million, and rapid urbanization, Hanoi needs to develop infrastructure and collect and manage waste and sewage, he said.

"Environmental protection, development of eco-friendly facilities, reduction of energy consumption, and transition to renewable energy are the top priorities for Hanoi," Dong said.

Hanoi is seeking professional and technological assistance from international partners to address these issues". 

"As a long-term partner of Vietnam, Denmark has a lot of experience in these issues. It is important for Hanoi to learn from Danish practices," he said.

The Vietnamese capital wants to strengthen its ties with Copenhagen through delegation exchanges, project implementation, and creating better connections for businesses and people, the vice chairman suggested.

At the meeting, Hanoi Vice Chairman Dong and Ambassador Nicolai discussed possible projects, common concerns, and solutions.

The two officials agreed that Hanoi and Copenhagen would quickly realize their cooperation plans in the future.