Attending the meeting were Mr. Pham Van Hieu, Standing Deputy Secretary of Can Tho city Party Committee, Chairman of Can Tho city People's Council; Mr. Duong Tan Hien, Member of the Standing Committee of Can Tho city Party Committee, Standing Vice Chairman of Can Tho city People's Committee, together with leaders of Can Tho city departments, agencies and more than 100 foreigners living, studying and working in Can Tho.

Standing Vice Chairman Duong Tan Hien said that the meeting to celebrate the new year for foreigners in Can Tho city is an annual event. This will connect with experts, entrepreneurs, lecturers, students, and foreigners living, working and studying in Can Tho city. Standing Vice Chairman Duong Tan Hien thanked the “global citizens” for their dedication to Can Tho city in contributing to cultural exchange activities, strengthening international friendship, and the city's socio-economic development. On his part, Mr. Duong Tan Hien pledged to create all the most favorable conditions for the expat community to live, work and invest in Can Tho city.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Jean Luc Voisin, a Frenchman who founded Cuu Long Fruit Garden Joint Stock Company which is currently located in Tra Noc 1 Industrial Park (Binh Thuy District, Can Tho City), expressed his joy and honor to attend at the 2023 New Year's meeting. Mr. Jean Luc Voisin said that most foreigners choose Can Tho city to live and work because it is the center of the Mekong Delta, an important trading hub of the region's rich agricultural raw materials.

“This strategic location of Can Tho city is certainly important for many exporting companies. The only problem we are now facing is the difficulties in transportation to the international ports in Ho Chi Minh City due to traffic restrictions, pollution... from trucks carrying empty containers from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho, and the high cost of transport. We hope that soon we will be able to export directly from Can Tho by sea, at least to the heart of the region, in Singapore,” said Mr. Jean Luc Voisin.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, in 2022, Can Tho city has achieved and exceeded all major socio-economic targets. The total production in the area increased by more than 9.88% compared to 2021; total investment capital in the area increased by 38.47% compared to 2021; the total number of visitors to the city is more than 5.1 million, exceeding 28% of the plan, 1.4 times higher than that in 2021. In addition, Can Tho city is also taking advantage of the National Assembly's Resolution No. 45/2022/QH15 on piloting a number of specific policies and mechanisms for the development of Can Tho city to maximize the city’s potential and strengths.

In 2022, Can Tho city has successfully organized many major external activities and welcomed many international delegations, including heads of state, senior leaders of many countries, and leaders of large economic groups. The number of international visitors to Can Tho is estimated to reach more than 58,300 in 2022. This shows the popularity of the city’s image and the spread of the core values containing the development potential of Can Tho city to international friends. Furthermore, this also affirms the attractiveness and unique imprint of the young city of Can Tho.