The U.S. Department of Commerce (DoC) and the Ho Chi Minh City-based U.S. Consulate General September 19 co-organized a meeting “U.S. commercial counselors in ASEAN” at Sandy Beach in central Danang city.
The four-day event aims to map out cooperation plans to implement together with the U.S. government’s prioritized projects relating to policies and trade promotion between the U.S. and the ASEAN bloc.
High-ranking officials from the U.S. State and Commerce Departments of State, the Commerce Development Agency, the Invention and Trademark Department, and representatives from the U.S. Embassies and Consulate Generals in ASEAN countries are participating the meeting.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, U.S. Consul General, Kenneth J. Fairfax said that the gathering will bring about more investment opportunities for American investors in Vietnam in general and Danang in particular.
On the sideline of the meeting, U.S. Deputy Assistant Commerce Secretary, Dan Harris said the U.S. Commerce Secretary will lead an American trade and investment delegation to Vietnam between Nov 4 and 11 of this year.
During the stay, the department will coordinate with the Vietnam Industry and Trade Ministry, and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry to hold meetings with Vietnamese and American enterprises to promote cooperation opportunities.
Particularly, the U.S. Commerce Secretary will witness the signing ceremonies of cooperation and investment deals in energy, aviation and telecom sectors.
This year, Vietnam is forecast to bag around US$10 billion from goods exports to the U.S., up 25 per cent against 2006, according to Nguyen Duy Khien, Vietnamese Trade Counselor to the U.S.
The PNTR passage is hoped to accelerate bilateral trade to US$15 billion in 2010, he added.
The U.S. is now Vietnam’s largest export market while the ASEAN country ranks 38th among countries and territories exporting to the U.S. and 70th among importers of products from the foreign nation. (Local sources)
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