(MPI) - Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung hosted a reception in Hanoi on July 26 for Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI), during which they discussed measures and orientations to establish a regional and international financial hub in Vietnam and attract foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung and Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change Tony Blair witnessed the signing agreement between MPI's Foreign Investment Agency and the TBI. Photo: MPI

Speaking highly of close coordination of the TBI, personally Blair with the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) in recent times, Minister Dung expressed his hope that the TBI will continue assist Vietnam in establishing a regional and international financial hub and promoting high-quality FDI investment to the country.

He suggested the TBI promote the participation of global enterprises and corporations in the activities of the MPI’s National Innovation Centre (NIC), and exchange experiences in semiconductor manufacturing, green hydrogen, human resource training, and in dealing with the global minimum tax policy.

Vietnam has continued to focus on implementing three strategic breakthroughs in terms of infrastructure, institutions, human resources that associated with science, technology, innovation, culture and people;  striving to improve the investment environment and implement administrative procedure reforms.

The minister also proposed Blair and the TBI to encourage more strategic investors to Vietnam, stressing his belief that Vietnam will become an attractive and competitive investment destination in the region.

The former UK Prime Minister expressed his delight at sound cooperation between the TBI and the MPI. He agreed with Vietnam and the minister’s view on the need to boost digital transformation, science, technology and sustainable development since the fourth industrial revolution is an inevitable trend.

Blair suggested Vietnam identify specific areas for attracting investment, and step up the promotion of investment climate and policies to foreign business community and investment funds. He affirmed that the institute will always accompany and support Vietnam in its development process, and will promote the linkages of foreign partners and investors in the Southeast nation.

On this occasion, Minister Dung invited the TBI Executive Chairman and the institute to attend the inauguration of the NIC in October, and the conference to review 35 years of FDI in Vietnam scheduled on November this year.

The TBI and the MPI’s Foreign Investment Agency (MPI) have also signed a cooperation agreement on attracting high-quality foreign investment and developing a financial centre in Vietnam./.

Bao Linh

Ministry of Planning and Investment