Vietnam to Boost Cultural, Economic Ties with Britain
Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai attended the opening ceremony of Vietnam Cultural Week in the U.K. and a Vietnam-U.K. business forum in London Oct 19 as par of efforts to boost bilateral ties, the Vietnamese government said on its website.
Addressing the forum, Hai called on British investors to expand their business operations in Vietnam with more than 85 million people, and Asean market of over 600 million consumers.
Hai, who started his visit Oct 18, noted the Vietnam-U.K. trade reached US$2 billion in 2008 and the U.K.’s investment in the Southeast Asian country has hit US$2 billion so far.
Chief executive of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Colin Stanbridge affirmed the European nation would continue investment and trade promotion activities in Vietnam.
British investors also raised their concerns in the Vietnamese market such as the lack of experts, skillful laborers and the weakness of infrastructures.
As many as seven deals worth of US$1.5 billion were signed at the forum in the fields of industry, telecoms, shipbuilding, and agriculture.
Later on the same day, Hai delivered a speech at the opening of Vietnam Cultural Week in the U.K., in which he believed the event would help British people understand deeply the country and Vietnamese people.
The week, co-organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Vietnamese embassy, will include traditional music performances, photo exhibitions and a Vietnamese film festival. (Chinhphu.vn)
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