“Economic ties between Vietnam and Ireland have been growing to new height and mutually trusted partners in various fields. To sustain and develop their close relationship, Vietnam and Ireland should strengthen their cooperation," Mr Nguyen Trung Tin, Vice Mayor of Ho Chi Minh City, said at "Ireland - Southeast Asia Business Seminar” held by the Irish Embassy in coordination with the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (Eurocham).
According to the Central Statistics Office of Ireland (CSO), Ireland's exports to Vietnam in 2009 rose 8 percent from 2008 to 51,366 million euro. In the first 10 months of 2010, Ireland earned some 40.6 million euro from exports to Vietnam, which spent approximately 63.6 million euro on products from the European nation. Vietnam mainly exports vegetables, coffee, spices, cattle meat, wooden furniture, textiles, electronics, tableware, tourism products, apparels and processed products to Ireland and primarily imports meat, meat products, dairies, pharmaceuticals, essence oil, cosmetics, chemicals, steel, industrial machines, electronic components, scientific equipment and processed foods there. Besides, Many Irish business delegations visited Vietnam to survey the market and seek opportunities of business and investment.
Irish specialists and businesses attending the seminar sent positive messages from Ireland: stable politics, economic potential, abundant high-skilled workforce, etc. At the same time, they expressed their desire to have more investment promotion activities in the future. An official from Glandore Systems Company (Ireland) spoke high of the investment environment in Vietnam and asserted that his company would continue surveying the market and expand cooperation with Vietnamese partners in the future. Previously known Glandore Systems has partnered with TMA Solutions Software Company of Vietnam to develop large scale projects and attract European customers. Also in the energy sector, a state company under the ESB International of Ireland are also involved in two projects to build power plants in Vietnam. Previously, Glandore Systems partnered with TMA Solutions, Vietnam’s second-largest software company, to develop large-scale projects and attract European customers. Besides, in energy field, Irish State-owned ESB International is taking part in two power plants in Vietnam.
Mr Nguyen Trung Tin said the two-way trade turnover is incommensurate with the potential of both sides. Irish enterprises can see huge potential in Vietnam - a market with political stability, large workforce, high economic growth, and a bridge that opens access to ASEAN and Asian markets. Especially, Ho Chi Minh City - the largest economic and financial centre of Vietnam, welcomed all Irish companies to expand investment and business operations in the city and always create all favourable conditions for Irish enterprises to do business successfully. Mr Tin hoped that through this seminar, the bilateral economic relationship between Vietnam and Ireland will be strengthened to catch up with potentials and desires of both sides and to substantiate the foundation for Irish companies to choose to do business in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
Sharing his views with Mr Tin, Dr Le Xuan Nghia, Vice Chairman of National Financial Oversight Commission, affirmed that, with what has been achieved, Vietnam and Ireland should look to sustainable and performance-based development, unlock potential, exploit advantages of trade - investment cooperation, and facilitate other ASEAN member nations to boost cooperation with Ireland.
Thanh Tan
Vietnamese
