An interview with Greek Ambassador to Vietnam Platon Alexis Hadjimichalis
This is the first official visit of Greek president to Vietnam?
Yes, this is the first time that the President of Greece has visited Vietnam.
What is the purpose of the visit?
Through this visit we want to emphasize the willingness of the Greek Hellenic Republic to improve relationship on political and economy between 2 countries and to show the important of Greece to Vietnam as a partner in both fields: political and economy.
How many businesses will accompany with the President? And what is the purpose of visit of these businesses?
There are 35 leading businessmen will come to Vietnam this time with the President of Greece. They present wide aspects of the economic field of Greek economy from shipping companies to Pharmaceuticals, electronic, tourism, etc. They expect to conduct and improve business affairs between two countries.
What agreement will be signed during this visit? Would you please say about theses agreements?
Vietnam and Greece have signed the frame work agreement on economics, industry, technology, tourism. Through this visit we expect to sign 3 agreements: An agreement which is regarded to facilitate investment, an agreement on renewable energy, and the Memorandum of understanding between two Ministries of Foreign Affairs. And we also will work on Foreign investment agreement for Marine and double taxation.
We are expecting that these agreements will improve the framework of the business community of both countries and they will facilitate the business community to move forward in order to strength our bilateral trade.
What can you say about the economic, trade and investment relations between Vietnam and Greece in the past and the prospects for these relations?
Though the bilateral trade between two countries is low for time being (around 32 million USD annually regard to our data). We strongly believe that the prospects are by far more rising. Greece as part of Euro, member of Euro Circle has many advantages in vast array of sectors such as shipment, marine transportation which we are number one world wide, tourist, construction sector, and education.
On the other hand, Vietnam is an emerging market with educated population and cheaper labour costs. We strongly believe that we can combine our strengths in order to open the market of South East Asia in Europe in respect for growth of both sides
Presently, little information about Greek markets has been provided. What Vietnamese goods, in your opinions, are favourites in Greece?
Though Greece is small country compared with other developed European countries, we are the centre of wider Economic Circle, there are more than 3000 Greek corporations operating abroad as far as the Middle East, China, Russia and Northern Africa. We believe that a lot of Vietnamese goods could find places in our market taking lower tax price, good quality, especially in cloths, apparel, coffee, fruits and sea food.
What are Vietnamese enterprises supposed to do to promote bilateral trade ties?
We expect this visit will improve the bilateral trade between two countries. As part of European Union, Greece is an open market economy where business people from other countries come to invest and promote the product in our market. Therefore, we will create the Vietnamese businessmen to approach our people as far as they believe that their products have higher competitive in same price and quality.
Reported by Lan Anh
Vietnamese
