Gimhae city seeks to further strengthen cooperation with Dong Nai

On April 15, Director of the Dong Nai Department of Foreign Affairs (DoFA) Huynh Thi Be Nam hosted a working delegation from Gimhae city, Gyeongnam province of the Republic of Korea (RoK), led by Jeon Byeong-hwa, Head of the Administrative Division of Gimhae city.

Leaders of the DoFA hold a working session with the Gimhae delegation. Photo: Ngoc Lien

At the meeting, Jeon Byeong-hwa congratulated Dong Nai on its recent achievements, particularly the upcoming operation of Long Thanh International Airport and that the province is being considered by the National Assembly (NA) for elevation to a centrally governed city. In this context, he noted that Dong Nai’s future role as a logistics hub connecting major transit points bears similarities to Gimhae. Building on this common ground, Gimhae expressed its expectation that both sides will continue to promote cooperation, inheriting and further developing the more than 30-year relationship previously established with Bien Hoa city. He also affirmed the desire to further strengthen the long-standing traditional ties between Gimhae and Dong Nai.

Representatives of the DoFA exchange views with the Gimhae delegation. Photo: Ngoc Lien

For her part, Huynh Thi Be Nam stated that the RoK is currently the largest investor in Dong Nai, with 458 valid projects and total registered capital exceeding 8.1 billion USD, leading the pack among countries and territories investing in the province. Korean enterprises operating in Dong Nai have made significant contributions to economic growth, job creation and the locality’s international integration. In addition, Dong Nai currently maintains an extensive cooperation with Korean partners, including eight provincial-level memoranda of understanding (MOUs) and 15 MOUs at the departmental and local levels.

The Gimhae delegation works with the Dong Nai Department of Foreign Affairs. Photo: Ngoc Lien

Dong Nai officially established friendly and cooperative relations with Gyeongnam province in 1996. Over nearly three decades of development, this relationship has been continuously strengthened and expanded through a wide range of practical and effective cooperation activities across multiple sectors, thereby enhancing mutual trust, understanding and connectivity between the two localities. Within this broader framework, the previous Bien Hoa city of Dong Nai province established a sister-city relationship with Gimhae, serving as a vivid symbol of sincere friendship as well as reflecting a strategic vision and shared determination to promote deeper and more sustainable cooperation.

Regarding future cooperation, Huynh Thi Be Nam noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam is currently collecting feedback on the draft amendments to the Law on International Agreements, including a proposal to expand the authority to sign international agreements to commune- and ward-level administrations. Accordingly, once the amended law is promulgated, Dong Nai authorities will direct relevant agencies to study and implement cooperation agreements with Gimhae city in line with the new legal framework.

By Ngoc Lien – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha