The purpose of the trip is to strengthen friendly relations and cooperation between Hanoi and Ankara and Istanbul; to learn from their experiences in smart urban development, science and technology , innovation, heritage preservation associated with the development of cultural industries and tourism; and to promote business connections, investment, trade, and tourism.
Vice Chairwoman of the Hanoi People’s Council Pham Thi Thanh Mai and Deputy Mayor of Ankara Faruk Köylüoğlu exchange commemorative gifts. Photo: People’s Council.
Sharing insights on urban governance models between Hanoi and Ankara.
On the afternoon of September 23, the delegation paid a courtesy visit to Mr. Faruk Köylüoğlu, Deputy Mayor of Ankara; also present was the Vietnamese Ambassador to Turkey, Dang Thi Thu Ha. The Deputy Mayor of Ankara expressed his pleasure at the positive development of relations between the two countries; noting that the two capitals have many similarities for cooperation in urban governance, digital transformation, and social welfare policies; and proposed organizing “Hanoi Day in Ankara” and “Ankara Day in Hanoi” associated with cultural, trade, and culinary exchanges.
Vice Chairwoman of the Hanoi People’s Council Pham Thi Thanh Mai thanked the Ankara Capital Government for the warm welcome; affirming that, building on the Vietnam-Türkiye relationship since 1978 and the Cooperation Agreement between the Hanoi People’s Council and the Ankara Capital Government signed in September 2011, Hanoi and Ankara will cooperate even more closely in the coming period.
The city is implementing the Capital City Law of 2026 and the Capital City Master Plan with a 100-year vision; Ankara’s experiences in smart urban development, modern urban governance, and innovation ecosystems will be valuable lessons for Hanoi in its new development phase. Hanoi requests that the Ankara government encourage Turkish businesses to research and invest in urban development, infrastructure, and high-tech industrial projects; strengthen exchanges between the Councils and Governments of the two capitals; and promote cultural exchange and tourism cooperation linked to heritage preservation.
The delegation held a thematic working session with the specialized agencies of the Ankara City Government. Photo: City Council.
Towards the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Turkey (1978-2028), Vice Chairwoman of the Hanoi People’s Council Pham Thi Thanh Mai agreed with the idea of proposing to research and organize “Hanoi Day in Ankara” and “Ankara Day in Hanoi”; she also informed about the proposals submitted by the Mayor of Ankara to the Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee in early 2026: the naming of a Hanoi street in Ankara and an Ankara street in Hanoi has been assigned to relevant departments and agencies for research and consultation; the placement of a statue of Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Hanoi and a statue of President Ho Chi Minh in Ankara is being studied in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to report to the competent authorities. The head of the delegation invited the leaders of the Ankara Capital Government to visit Hanoi soon to review the results of cooperation and exchange content for the next phase.
* On the same day, the delegation held a working session and thematic discussions with specialized agencies of the Ankara Metropolitan Government, chaired by Mr. Ramazan Kabasakal, Head of the Foreign Relations Department, on the organization and operation of urban government and digital transformation and digital public services.
Representatives from Ankara shared and exchanged information with the delegation on in-depth topics: Ankara’s urban governance model; the application of science and technology and digital transformation to services for citizens, including experience in building and operating citizen service application platforms; methods for connecting and sharing common data between administrative agencies, along with solutions to ensure the safety and protection of citizens’ personal data; and mobilizing the participation and contribution of critical opinions on policy from the community and intellectuals.
The Hanoi delegation shared insights on promoting science and technology, digital transformation, building a digital government, digital economy, and digital society in Hanoi, with many aspects similar to those being implemented by the Ankara government.
The Hanoi City delegation worked and conducted a field survey at the OSTIM Technopark (Ankara). Photo: Hanoi City People’s Council.
On the morning of September 24th, the delegation conducted a working visit and on-site survey at OSTIM Technopark (Ankara), led by Ms. Derya Çağlar, General Director. Ms. Pham Thi Thanh Mai stated that Hanoi is accelerating the development of Hoa Lac High-Tech Park and other high-tech parks, a key component of the Capital City’s 100-year master plan. She expressed a desire to learn from OSTIM Technopark’s experience regarding the governance model based on the “State – School – Enterprise” linkage mechanism, the financial mechanisms for maintaining incubation centers, and policies to attract investment and high-quality human resources. She requested that OSTIM Technopark and its member enterprises research investment, technology transfer, establish production facilities and testing centers in Hanoi, and cooperate with Hoa Lac High-Tech Park.
Ms. Derya Çağlar stated that Türkiye currently has 114 high-tech parks operating under specialized laws. OSTİM Technopark, established in 2015 and operational since 2018, operates under the Commercial Law, does not use state capital, and currently houses 74 businesses, employs approximately 1,500 people, generates export revenue of around $56 million, and has about 90 businesses under incubation. Its INNO:14 startup accelerator, INNOMentor mentoring service, and OSTİM INP investment network are operating very effectively.
Your side shared many policies for developing high-tech zones, such as: businesses located in high-tech zones enjoy preferential tax policies; high-tech zones receive financial resources from tax revenue of businesses for reinvestment; policies on supporting innovative startups, supporting product consumption for businesses, etc.
During the meeting, the head of the Hanoi city delegation invited the leaders of OSTIM Technopark to visit and work with the Management Board of Hanoi’s high-tech and industrial parks; and to explore investment opportunities in Hoa Lac High-Tech Park and other high-tech parks in Hanoi.
The Hanoi delegation at a bilateral meeting with the Istanbul City Government, Turkey. Photo: Hanoi People’s Council
Expanding cooperation with Istanbul on urban governance, heritage, and tourism.
As part of their working visit to Türkiye, on the afternoon of September 25th in Istanbul, the Hanoi City delegation held a bilateral meeting with the Istanbul City Government.
Speaking at the meeting, Istanbul Deputy Governor Cengiz Karabulut emphasized that the two cities share many similarities in terms of scale and urban role; Istanbul focuses on human development and human resources, and expressed his desire to strengthen exchanges of delegations at all levels to gradually build and consolidate bilateral friendship.
Ms. Pham Thi Thanh Mai expressed her admiration for Istanbul’s dynamic development while preserving its heritage values. She proposed cooperation in three key areas: heritage preservation and tourism (sharing experiences in preserving and exploiting UNESCO-recognized heritage sites linked to sustainable tourism; proposing Istanbul’s participation in the Thang Long – Hanoi Festival and the World Cultural Festival in Hanoi; and Hanoi businesses’ participation in the Istanbul International Tourism Exhibition); urban governance (infrastructure, smart cities, smart transportation); and economy, trade, and science and technology (connecting manufacturing businesses, traditional craft products, and the innovation ecosystem). The direct flight route between Istanbul and Hanoi and Vietnam’s market of over 100 million people provide favorable conditions for expanding bilateral trade. The delegation leader invited Istanbul’s leaders and businesses to visit Hanoi to explore investment opportunities.
Istanbul expressed interest in Hanoi’s major urban planning projects, the handling of outdated infrastructure, and disaster response; and expressed readiness to share with Hanoi its experiences in urban governance, transportation, environment, cultural industry development, and tourism. Both sides agreed to promote exchanges of delegations to determine specific areas of cooperation.
The Hanoi City delegation poses for a commemorative photo with the Istanbul City Government. Photo: Hanoi People’s Council.
During the meeting, leaders from both sides agreed on several key areas of cooperation, including urban governance, promoting the exchange of experiences in sustainable urban development, smart transportation management, and digital transformation; heritage preservation and cultural tourism development, sharing experiences in planning and restoring UNESCO-recognized heritage sites linked to sustainable tourism; and economic, trade, and science and technology cooperation, connecting businesses from both cities in the textile, manufacturing, and service sectors, as well as connecting the innovation ecosystem and startup incubation centers of Istanbul with Hanoi.
* The delegation visited and worked with the Vietnamese Embassy in Türkiye. The head of the delegation thanked the Embassy for supporting the delegation’s program; requested continued connection between Hanoi businesses and Turkish partners, creating conditions for Hanoi businesses and cultural and artistic delegations to participate in events in Turkey and act as a bridge between Hanoi and Ankara and Istanbul. Specific directions included: coordinating the organization of a series of activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, including “Hanoi Day in Ankara”; connecting Hoa Lac High-Tech Park with OSTIM Technopark; cooperation on urban rail technology; cooperation in training between Hanoi Metropolitan University and Ankara University; and introducing OCOP products to the Turkish market.
Ambassador Dang Thi Thu Ha stated that relations between the two countries are developing positively, with both sides promoting the upgrading of the relationship framework; bilateral trade has reached nearly 3 billion USD; Türkiye ranks 23rd in investment in Vietnam with approximately 50 projects, notably participating as a contractor in the joint venture to construct the passenger terminal at Long Thanh International Airport; Turkish Airlines operates daily direct flights to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
The Ambassador supported reviewing and restarting the 2011 Hanoi-Ankara Cooperation Agreement and re-signing it on the occasion of an important anniversary; suggesting that Hanoi study Turkey’s experience in preserving and exploiting heritage and enhance tourism promotion on digital platforms.
During the ITF Istanbul 2026 International Tourism Exhibition (September 24th and 25th), the delegation visited and encouraged Vietnamese travel businesses. At the same time, the delegation witnessed the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Cooperation between Hanoi Tourism Corporation – Hanoitourist Corporation and MCY Travel Company (Türkiye), marking a new step in cooperation in the tourism sector.
Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/tang-cuong-quan-he-huu-nghi-hop-tac-giua-ha-noi-voi-ankara-va-istanbul-tho-nhi-ky-1758465.html