A Vietnamese-Portuguese business meeting was recently held in Hanoi to boost business cooperation between the two countries. The event, organised by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in collaboration with the Portugal Business Association and the Office of Portugal Honorary Consul of Portugal, was attended by many Vietnamese and Portuguese businesses which were keen to study markets and seek business partners.
Portuguese firms mainly operate in the fields of import, export, publishing, food processing and distribution, recycling, cutlery, construction machine distribution (concrete pumps, scaffolding, concrete moulds), BOPP, CPP, LLDPE plastic film production, and animal feed trading.
Mr Nguyen Tuan Hai, Deputy Director of VCCI International Affairs Department, said: Vietnam and Portugal have fine friendship relationship and multifaceted cooperation. Portugal established diplomatic relations with Vietnam at the ambassadorial level in 1975. Vietnam always attaches importance to strengthening cooperation with Portugal - a key trade partner of the Southeast Asian country. In February, the Office of Honorary Consul of Portugal paid a visit to survey the market and met Portuguese partners in Porto and Lisbon.
He said together with political relations, economic and commercial cooperation between Vietnam and Portugal has thrived. Bilateral trade turnover increased from US$100 million in 2008 to US$170 million in 2011.
In the first four months of 2012, the value reached US$52.09 million, up 3.6 percent year on year, of which Vietnam earned US$48.97 million from exports to Portugal while importing US$3.11 million worth of goods from this country.
However, the outcome fails to meet expectations. Mr Hai said businesses of both sides will play a driving force to uplift bilateral economic - commercial ties and help deepen and develop friendship ties.
He said Vietnam is endeavouring to further reform, including encouragement and facilitation of private sector development, perfecting the legal system, market economic institution and infrastructure to attract foreign investment. Vietnam is always ready to welcome and create favourable conditions for foreign investors, including Portuguese, to do business in the country. Here, they will have the chance to approach nearly 90 million consumers and further step into broader markets through free trade agreements Vietnam inked, including ASEAN - China ASEAN - Japan and ASEAN - Korea.
“Through trade promotion and support activities like this, I believe that the relations between the two business communities will continue to be driven by new more projects and programmes connected or expanded by both sides,” Mr Hai said.
Helena Ramos, an official from the Portugal Business Association, said businesses must pioneer in uplifting economic and commercial ties as well as friendship relationship between the two countries.
Vietnamese
