On the morning of March 1, the delegation of the US Embassy led by Mr. Marc E.Knapper, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Vietnam visited and worked in Hai Phong. Standing Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Mr. Le Anh Quan welcomed and worked with the delegation.
Speaking at the meeting, the Standing Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee expressed his pleasure to welcome the Ambassador and members of the delegation to visit and work in Hai Phong. He highly appreciated the active role of the Ambassador and the active role of the US Embassy in Vietnam in promoting cooperative relations with Hai Phong City. Mr. Le Anh Quan expressed his wishes that this field visit and survey in Hai Phong will help the Ambassador and the members of the delegation have more information as a foundation to further strengthen the cooperation relationship between Hai Phong and the United States in all fields, especially investment cooperation. Standing Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee also shared that Hai Phong is currently one of the localities with the fastest economic growth in the current period in Vietnam, with an average annual growth rate in 2022 of 12.32%/year; FDI attraction is always on the top localities of the country… however, the US direct investment in Hai Phong is still on a small scale and not commensurate with the potential and strengths of both sides. As of March 1, 2023, in Hai Phong City, there were 15 valid FDI projects from the United States with a total investment capital of nearly 260 million USD.
Currently, in Hai Phong City, there is 01 Dinh Vu - Cat Hai economic zone with an area of 22,540 ha and 14 industrial parks carrying out activities of investment, construction, and infrastructure business with a total area of 6,080.21 ha. In addition to the operating industrial parks, the City is focusing on deploying and striving to establish 15 new industrial parks. With the number of industrial parks mentioned above, the ability to attract investors, including US investors to Hai Phong is a huge potential.
Standing Vice Chairman Mr. Le Anh Quan hoped that, based on the information collected about the investment environment in Hai Phong industrial parks and economic zones, the Ambassador and members of the delegation will continue to pay attention and further promote connection with the City, and introduce more potential US investors and businesses to Hai Phong. Hai Phong City will commit to creating all favorable conditions for US investors to visit, and collect information about the investment environment and development cooperation opportunities in Hai Phong.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Vietnam Mr. Marc E. Knapper expressed his sincere thanks to the city's leaders for the warm welcome to the delegation. This visit and working time of the delegation aims to study more about the investment environment in industrial parks and economic zones of Hai Phong City, thereby promoting investment cooperation between Hai Phong and the United States. In 2023, the United States and Vietnam will celebrate 10 years of comprehensive cooperation, the Ambassador hoped to take this opportunity to promote the bilateral relationship to the strategic partnership, along with continuing to deepen the cooperation relationship with Hai Phong City in areas such as: education and people-to-people diplomacy.
According to the working schedule, the delegation of the US Embassy will survey the actual infrastructure of seaports, industrial parks, and economic zones at Lach Huyen Port, Deep C 2 Industrial Park, and Pegatron Company after working with the leaders of the City People's Committee.