At the meeting, Ms. Ngan said that she was really impressed by  the beauty and harmony of the classical and modern architecture, and the long-time preserved green of Stockholm, deserving to be a green European city.

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NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (4th from L), Stockholm’s Mayor Eva-Louis Erlandsson Slorach (3rd from L) and Vietnam's delegation in a joint photo

Highlighting Stockholm as an economic hub of the whole Scandinavian peninsula, Ms. Ngan hoped that the city’s mayor will encourage local enterprises to boost cooperation on economics , trade, investment, culture and tourism with Vietnamese localities. She vowed that the Vietnamese NA and Government will create a favorable legal environment for Swedish investors in the country.

Ms. Ngan also asked the city’s mayor and its leadership to continue providing favorable conditions for the overseas Vietnamese community in Stockholm to serve as a bridge connecting the two nations and to boost bilateral ties and cooperation between Stockholm and Vietnamese localities in particular and between the two countries in general.

She suggested that Stockholm be twinned with Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City with large potential for economic and tourism cooperation.

For her part, the Mayor of Stockholm warmly welcomed the Vietnamese NA Chairwoman to the city and happily informed that her city has become the first green city in Europe, reaching the high standards for clean water and air.

The host also briefed the guests on the operational mechanism of the whole city apparatus, which is based on direct taxation. Accordingly, the Municipal Council has self-determination to spend the city’s tax revenue on the city’s security and social affairs as well as to use its budget.

Sharing experience in building the green city model, the mayor said that Stockholm used to be the sleaziest city in Europe 40 years ago. However, the city’s leadership mapped out a master plan to well treat its wastes and discharges, and continuously raise public awareness of environmental protection.

In addition, the city usually invests in restoring and preserving the city’s architectural projects, the mayor added.

The city’s persistent effort and investment for nearly 4 decades has created today’s Stockholm, the major proudly concluded.

Reported by Chien Thang from Stockholm, Sweden

Translated by Thu Nguyen