On Thursday, Secretary of the Da Nang Party Committee Nguyen Xuan Anh and municipal People’s Committee Chairman Huynh Duc Tho met with the new US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Ms Mary Etta Tarnowka.

US Consul General Tarnowka (left) and Chairman Tho

Secretary Anh congratulated Ms Tarnowka on her new position.  He also expressed his belief that she would do her utmost to lift the bilateral cooperative relationships with Da Nang, in such aspects as investment, trade and education, to new heights in the near future.

He noted that the local leaders and Ms Tarnowka would soon meet to discuss the preparations for the 25^th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC 2017) summit which will take place in the city in October 2017.

In reply, the US diplomat said “I am very impressed by the city’s beauty and progress.  I am delighted at the fruitful results from the bilateral cooperation with the city in humanitarian and healthcare aid work, and the dioxin contamination removal at Da Nang International Airport.”

During her meeting with Chairman Tho, Ms Tarnowka believed that the bilateral economic and trading ties with Viet Nam would be tightened after the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has been signed.  She added that Da Nang is one of the country’s ideal investment destinations for US investors. 

She vowed that she would make every effort to appeal for more businesses and organisations from her country to help the city promote the development of education, implement charitable activities, support flood and storm mitigation measures, and cope with climate change, as well as give start-up assistance.

In reply, Chairman Tho highlighted the vital role of US businesses in helping the city build a smarter city and e-government.  He vowed that the local authorities would create very favourable conditions for US businesses to conduct market surveys and effectively deploy their projects in the city.