In order to further strengthen the economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and Poland and create business opportunities for enterprises of the two countries, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ho Chi Minh City Branch (VCCI-HCM) and the Investment & Trade Promotion Centre of Ho Chi Minh City (ITPC), in collaboration with the Poland Chamber of Commerce, recently organized the Vietnam-Poland Business Forum.
The Polish business delegation to Vietnam this time includes some leading companies operating in the manufacturing and food processing sector, and aims to meet with distributors to understand market demand and economic cooperation opportunities in Vietnam. Tran Vinh Nhung, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City, said that in recent years, two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and Poland has increased rapidly. Poland has become the number one customer of Vietnam in Eastern and Central Europe. Currently, Vietnam exports to Poland products of electronics, light industry, agriculture and fisheries; while imports from the country are meat items, food and dairy products, and pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. In 2001, the bilateral trade of the two countries was only about US$125 million, 10 years later, this figure had reached nearly US$700 million. Ho Chi Minh City, in 8 months of 2012, exported to Poland US$51.7 million and imported from Poland US$25.2 million. Just look at these impressive figures and we can see that Vietnamese goods are highly valued in Poland, especially food items, seafood, shoes, clothes, etc. In addition, currently, Poland is the only country in Eastern and Central Europe to apply preferential credit for Vietnam.
However, the current results do not match as well as fully reflect the potential cooperation between the two countries. So Mr Nhung believes that in the future Vietnamese - Poland enterprises should strengthen cooperation in the field of trade not only because of purchasing power, but also as Poland is a potential market for Vietnamese goods where a large number of Vietnamese are living, studying and working.
In particular he appreciated the initiative of the Polish Food Forum and emphasized that this forum will be an important promotion event for the food industry. This is an opportunity for enterprises to exchange experiences, access new technology, increase product promotion and market research; thus, contributing to business partnerships between the two countries, creating brands and developing the food and drink processing industries of both countries. Hopefully in the coming time, besides the food sector, the cooperation between Vietnam and Poland will expand into other potential areas such as: shipbuilding and repairing, processing of agricultural products - food, education and training, and others.
Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency representative, Ms Bozena Czaja, said that currently, Poland is one of the leading countries attracting investment in Europe and the world. Along with the achievements in the field of agriculture, the manufacturing sector and food processing also develop significantly and now Vietnam is an important market, as well as a preferred partner of Poland in the ASEAN region. Recently that Poland gave many signs showing the increasing interest of Polish businesses in the Vietnam market. If Vietnam strengthens exchanges, trade promotion and recommends areas for co-operation and market attractions of Vietnam, the number and quality of Poland's investment in Vietnam will greatly increase.
Ms Bozena Czaja said: "This forum plays an important role in promoting bilateral relations between Vietnamese and Polish enterprises; at the same time contributing to enhancing the development of trade and investment between the two countries. As an organization supporting for the Polish business community to promote overseas investment and cooperation, in the future Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency will further push efforts and actively diversify and strengthen the promotion, support businesses with information on the economic and legal environment, providing a database of investment, and promoting export through European-funded projects; thereby creating opportunities for businesses from both countries to meet, exchange experiences and sign contracts, and gradually improve Vietnam-Polish bilateral trade relations to new heights.
Thu Thuy
Vietnamese
