Mr. Phan Van Mai expresses high regard for the group's decision to invest in the Asia-Pacific market and establish its headquarters in Vietnam.

On the afternoon of May 17, Mr. Phan Van Mai, Member of the Party Central Committee and Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi City Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, had a courtesy meeting with Mr. Francois Michel, CEO of John Cockerill Group - a mechanical engineering firm of Belgium.

With a rich history spanning 200 years, John Cockerill Group has extensive experience in diverse sectors, including energy, hydro, defense, industry, environment, and services.

The group has established its presence in Vietnam for over ten years, commencing with its initial ventures in wastewater treatment in HCMC and multiple promising projects focused on steel refining equipment. At present, John Cockerill Group is actively planning to further expand its investments in Vietnam.

According to Mr. Francois Michel, John Cockerill Group has many strengths that Vietnam needs and is willing to share experiences.

Mr. Francois Michel expressed his sincere appreciation for the warm reception from the leader of HCMC. He also conveyed his eagerness to promptly realize the company's vision through strategic investments in Vietnam, a country known for its immense potential.

Specifically, the group intends to establish a regional headquarters in the Asia-Pacific region and expand production and investment in the energy, hydrogen, and hydrogen electrolyzer manufacturing sectors.

Additionally, the group has plans to implement programs focused on waste treatment, combating water and air pollution through advanced equipment, developing cooling devices applicable to both the manufacturing sector and buildings, and other areas of expertise.

The group is fully committed to enhancing collaboration with Vietnam, including HCMC, in order to achieve these objectives.

At the reception

Mr. Phan Van Mai acknowledged that John Cockerill is a prominent corporation, and its strengths align with the needs of HCMC. Thus, this meeting held significant importance for both parties to exchange ideas and explore investment cooperation opportunities.

Mr. Phan Van Mai expressed high regard for the group's decision to invest in the Asia-Pacific market and establish its headquarters in Vietnam. He highlighted that recent agreements between Vietnam and Europe have laid a strong foundation for investment cooperation.

Moreover, Vietnam's relationships with Southeast Asian nations and other countries, coupled with its political stability and the commitments of Vietnamese leaders, provide substantial advantages for the country.

On this occasion, Mr. Phan Van Mai also expressed his desire for the group to consider establishing its headquarters in HCMC.

He highlighted that in addition to being Vietnam's leading city and economic center, HCMC plays a vital role in connecting the Mekong Delta region and the Southeast region, and it possesses significant advantages in terms of population, labor force, and transportation infrastructure.

Moreover, HCMC offers competitive advantages in terms of its financial market, trade opportunities, and favorable import-export conditions.

The leaders of both sides take a souvenir photo.

Mr. Phan Van Mai also presented some favorable locations in the city that align with the group's requirements for them to consider conducting surveys and establishing their headquarters there.

Sharing the viewpoint of expanding the group's ecosystem, Mr. Phan Van Mai emphasized that HCMC is a place where a large number of businesses from the whole country are concentrated, including many large-scale enterprises that have expanded internationally.

Therefore, it is possible to collaborate with the group to foster mutual development. Mr. Phan Van Mai expressed the desire to promptly establish working groups to facilitate information exchange and initiate collaborative activities soon.

Source: SGGP